Shadow Reign
by mom-mi-oh
Summary: **FINAL CHAPTER POSTED** In this sequel to The Queen of Hearts, Yugi must face the dark force that is trying to break the Queen's power over the Game
1. Chapter 1 Conscious

_This story is dedicated to my daughter, my husband, YamiMommy, ButterflyGuitar, Meroko, and any others who may have wanted to see a sequel to The Queen of Hearts._

_To be true to the first story, I continued to use the characters and situations that I had initially created. More specifically, when I had written The Queen of Hearts, I was not aware of a character called "Ryou", and therefore had created my own name for the spirit in the Millennium Ring ("Samekh"). I used that name in this story._

_Please note that this is a considerably darker story than The Queen of Hearts. So, because of this, and because of occasional language, violence and *implied* violence, I have decided to rate it PG-13 right at the off._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any of the characters therein (but from the amount of time I spend on these stories, you'd think that I did...)_

Chapter 1 - Conscious 

"Agony profusely stains the inner thinking of the brain..."  
--Skinny Puppy, _ Assimilate_

Awareness descended in the form of a sharp pain grinding into his hipbone. _Rock_, he thought muzzily, and tried to move his hand down to dislodge the offending nodule - and found that his arm would not move. 

Pinpricks of feeling began spreading down his spine, through his legs, and through his arms like an unpleasant anointing. He realized that his hands were clenched into tight balls. He tried to unclench them, but just the effort involved started a wave of shaking through every limb. Then a strangled cry of pain wrenched itself out of his throat as every over-fatigued muscle in his body squeezed itself into spasm. 

It seemed like he had laid there for a long time, his body nothing more than a quivering bundle of agony, before finally - one by one - his muscles began to untwist themselves, and his mind was able to focus on something other than the pain. Something like where exactly he was. He became aware of the sharp smells of earth, sweat and blood penetrating into his brain. Remembering his fists, he once again slowly tried to unclench them. They were sticky. 

He decided to try to open his eyes. Squinting, careful, he allowed only narrow slits at first, which proved useless as he saw only blurred shades of darkness. Widening his field of vision slightly, he tried to sort through the shadows - still blurry - that shifted eerily in front of his eyes. He was lying front side down on the ground, one cheek pressed against mossy, prickly grass. He blinked, hoping to clear his vision, hoping that he wouldn't have to shake his head - which was pounding rhythmically in time with his rapidly increasing pulse. 

It was another lengthy interval before he braved an attempt at sitting up. Pushing up with his still trembling arms, he swayed a moment on all fours before he gently swung his rump down to the grassy earth, and just sat there, chin to chest, his creamy blonde hair hanging in stringy tassels around his face. 

_Okay_, he thought, _where am I...?_

He tried to make some sense of the jumble of thoughts flying in his head, tried to remember why, exactly, he was lying here in the dark... on the grass... 

Slowly he raised his head from his chest, trying to survey the area around him, which was difficult since it kept blearing in and out of focus. It looked like he was surrounded by... trees. Trees - shifting and moving in a night breeze. Moving. And whispering... whispering... 

He closed his eyes abruptly against the tears that were suddenly stinging them with unwanted harshness. He didn't like the whispering. It reminded him too much of voices... 

He brought his cold fingers to his eyes and pressed against them until the stinging subsided. Opening his eyes, the first things he saw were his own hands - which looked to be covered with something dark... 

As he stared at his dark, sticky hands, a horrible, black something began to grow somewhere around the base of his stomach. 

A faint buzzing and ticking disturbed the dead night air, and a street lamp behind him and to his left first flickered, then burst into luminescence. He could see more clearly around himself now, and he saw the disturbance of the ground around him - a large circle drawn in the earth. Shaking, heart pounding, he bent to smell it... 

The rank smell of blood filled his nostrils. 

Gagging, he sat up and smelled his hands. 

Blood. Again. 

Horrified, he recoiled, and his eyes dropped to his clothes. They, too, were streaked and smeared with dark. 

_ Blood. I'm covered with blood..._

He began to gasp great gulps of air in rapid succession, which didn't seem to help him at all. Something was pressing down on both his head and his chest at the same time with alarming force. The black something inside him lurched and turned his stomach with such violence that he threw up. 

_ Oh god... what did I do...?_

He stared wildly around him, around the clearing and the bushes surrounding him, looking - but afraid to see - for something: a body, a knife, anything... 

But there was nothing. 

Then he changed his mind. He didn't want to see. He closed his eyes. He felt dizzy. And weak. And terribly, terribly afraid... 

He just wanted to go home... 

_ Maybe it's nothing_, he told himself. He had blacked out before. Nothing had ever happened. No one had ever died. _ Maybe you were just helping someone. Someone in trouble. Maybe..._

But the horrible, twisting fear never left. 

_ Have to stand up. Have to get out of here._

Gritting his teeth, he pulled his legs under him and stood. A rush of stars showered in front of his eyes, and everything tilted. He stumbled, fell to his knees. 

_ Get up, damn it. Get_ up... 

Again, he dragged himself to his feet. This time, he kept his balance through the dizzying rush of blood and stars, and was still standing when it passed. He took a few steps, and remembered that he didn't know where to go... 

...then he felt a tug around his neck, heard the voice again... 

His heart began to race, and he fought the tears behind his eyes. _ Please... not again.._. 

But the voice didn't overpower him this time. It only told him one thing: _ Park._

And it stopped. 

He looked around him. Of course. This was the park. In fact, he used to come to this very clearing all the time when he was a kid. He used to play here with... 

He closed his eyes. That was so long ago. Things were so much simpler then... 

It didn't matter anyway, he thought. He knew the way home from here. He would go home. He would put his clothes in the garbage. He didn't have to tell his mom anything; he didn't have to tell _anyone_. Then it would be over... 

...and maybe, _ maybe_ this wouldn't happen again. Maybe it would be the last time... 

With the shifting, furtive eyes of a fugitive, he melted into the protective shadows of the trees. 

* * *


	2. Chapter 2 Meeting

_Well, now that I have your attention... ;)_

_YamiMommy - my true and faithful reader - thank you for the very prompt review. I always get nervous posting my stuff, but you make it fun :)_

_And now... on with the story..._

Chapter 2 - Meeting

"I can't feel this way much longer  
Expecting to survive..."  
--The Cars,_ Bye Bye Love_

A brilliant sun peered through the haze that had settled in over Domino City, and lent a garment of gold to the Transcontinental Pacific Railway Station, where a boy named Yugi Moto sat, his sleeveless white t-shirt clinging slightly to him in what promised to be another hot, muggy June day. He just happened to be looking at the 50-foot glass windows that filtered the sunlight in, transforming every dust mote up to the cathedral ceiling into thousands of tiny fireflies. He watched this display for a moment as he absently fingered his Millenium Puzzle - a large, pyramid-shaped object that always hung around his neck from a chain. 

Yugi turned his attention back to the large black and green pixelboard in front of the bench on which he sat, and it boldly stated "Arrivals", along with the time, which was now the ungodly hour of 8:30AM - on a Saturday morning. 

Why, exactly, Yugi was sitting in the train station when he could still be curled up in bed was not exactly clear, even to Yugi. He didn't, after all, _have_ to be here, really. I mean, it wasn't like he had _told_ Téa that he would be here. It was just sort of... a surprise. That, and, well, he...he needed to talk to her, and since she had been away, he sort of didn't have the chance. I mean, it had only been a week and all, but... 

Yugi's hands again dropped to his Millennium Puzzle. This magical puzzle was the paradox of Yugi - containing a second soul that manifested in Yugi when he needed it. And it was this soul that had disturbed him enough recently to need to talk to someone about it. And Téa was about the only one he could really talk to. His friends Tristan and Joey were of no real help to him now. Tristan would just tell him to get rid of the thing if it was bothering him. Joey, on the other hand, would try to help-and probably just make things worse. No, he had to talk to Téa... 

The black and green display flickered, and "Arnington Falls" flashed up - and so did the bright, orange "LATE" beside it. Yugi sighed impatiently. That would be a half an hour now, and he had been here for forty-five minutes already. Why were trains always late? 

He fell to wondering if Téa would appreciate him being here to pick her up in front of the entire competition team. Téa might rather just be with her teammates... He ran a nervous hand through his impressive shock of red-gold hair, which was even more unkempt than usual, since he had rushed to get here to make the train that was now thirty-five minutes _late..._

He fidgeted nervously, watching the increasing crowds of people bustling and hurrying through the large main hall, as the distant sounds of other trains squealing and hissing in and out of the station provided a tooth-grinding symphony-to-rush-by. He wished he could be rushing about now, instead of waiting... 

"Arnington Falls" flashed up on the pixelboard again - followed by a bright green "GATE 13". 

Yugi jumped to his feet. _Finally!_ He first ran, then was forced to slow to a halting snake through the station, muttering a constant barrage of "Pardon me"'s and "Excuse me"'s to the torrents of people streaming to Gate 13 to meet, among the other passengers who may be on the train, the Marla Weaver Academy of Dance's Senior Competition Team. 

Yugi navigated the sea of people, turned quickly under a black and white sign boldly sporting an arrow under the phrase "Gates 11, 12, 13, 14", and found himself pointed down a long hallway flanked with doors labelled with large green numbers in white circles. He passed 11 and 12, then pushed through the door emblazoned with the number 13. He climbed a seemingly endless flight of stairs and emerged through another set of glass doors onto the sunny-bright platform of Gate 13. 

The train was already at the platform when Yugi emerged, and the hive of people was buzzing around it like so many hornets. Yugi bounced up and down, trying to get his head and shoulders above the crowd, cursing inwardly at his lack of vertical stature, roughly pushing forward and even forgetting, for the moment, to say the required "Excuse me"'s - and receiving a number of scathing glares from people as a result. 

Yugi finally zeroed in on a chorus of feminine giggles directly in front of him, and his eyes found the tall, slender form of Téa Gardiner standing among ten or fifteen girls of similar stature. _Dancers_, he thought as his face broke into a smile. Téa looked tired, but happy, dressed in black leggings, pink legwarmers, and an oversized pink sweatshirt embroidered with the words "Domino Dreamers" in black, flared lettering. 

"Téa!" Yugi called, giving a full-arm wave in her direction. "Téa! Over here!" 

Téa's head swung around, and her brilliant blue eyes brightened as they found Yugi's face. She pulled a strand of her short brown hair away from her face, and took two airy leaps towards Yugi, swinging her light blue duffle bag over her back. 

"Yugi! What are you...? Oh, it's so great to see you!" Téa flung her arms around Yugi's neck to another chorus of giggles from the rest of the dance team behind her. Yugi felt a red blush creeping up his neck, but still shyly returned her hug. 

"It's great to see you too, Téa," Yugi replied, his smile still plastered to his face, along with the blush, which had by now crept up to his forehead. The dance team was still giggling as they glanced sidelong at Téa and Yugi, some of them pointing rather shamelessly. 

"Ignore them," Téa said, flinging a very admonishing Téa-look back at the crowd before turning her smiling face back to Yugi. "Gosh, it's so great you're here! I really missed you. You and the rest of the gang, I mean," Téa finished, looking away, and Yugi thought he saw a slight flush raise on her cheeks. 

"I thought we could walk to your place," Yugi said quickly. 

"Sure," Téa answered gratefully, "just let me get my bag." 

They edged through the dispersing crowd towards the baggage car. A man talking importantly on a cell phone blustered by them, waving his free arm and shouting something about solutions. Yugi watched Téa's back, which looked to be a little over-straight. 

"So, how did you do in the competition?" he asked solicitously. 

"Great," Téa answered excitedly. "We took three golds and a silver." 

"Wow, that's terrific," Yugi said admiringly. "Say, how about that solo dance of yours? Did they let you do it after all?" 

"Yeah, they did," Téa said, a slight smile playing on her lips as she deliberately looked away. 

"They did? Cool!" Yugi exclaimed. "Well? How did you do?" 

Téa's half smile increased to full proportions, and she looked straight at Yugi, no longer trying to mask her pride. 

"I took the gold," she said. 

Yugi's mouth fell open. 

"You took the...? Téa, that's... that's amazing! I'm so happy for you!" Yugi almost shouted, gripping Téa's arm, pulling her to him and folding her in a bear hug - which was a bit of a reach for him: he was significantly shorter than Téa. 

"Yeah, I was totally blown away," Téa replied, her flush darkening from pink to noticeable red as she withdrew from the embrace. "When they called my name, I just couldn't believe it. I thought I was hearing things, or something, so I just sat there like an idiot 'til someone poked me!" 

Yugi laughed. "I knew you would do it, Téa. You're an amazing dancer." 

"Thanks," Téa flushed darker still, then her expression became thoughtful. "You know, when I was on stage, it felt so... so _magical._ It was like I was part of the music. Part of the audience. Like I was some sort of living wind. All at the same time - and it felt so _easy..._" 

Yugi's hands fell to the heavy pyramid-shaped puzzle that swung from the chain around his neck. "I know exactly how you feel," he said softly. 

Téa eyed the puzzle with a mixture of apprehension and admiration. "Well," she answered warily, "not _exactly._" 

By now, they had come to a halt in front of a mound of luggage of assorted styles, colours and sizes. Téa dropped her blue duffle bag, which Yugi took, swinging it over his back. "Boy, you sure travel light," he commented. 

"You think so?" 

Yugi's jaw dropped as Téa took hold of a light blue suitcase roughly the size of a small elephant. 

"Don't worry," Téa winked at Yugi's horrified stare. "It rolls." 

  
* * * 

  
_Thuk-tuk. Thuk-tuk. Thuk-tuk._

The blue suitcase bounced along the sidewalk behind Téa and Yugi like some contented, cubic dog, and the two of them walked through Domino City to Téa's house. Téa had filled Yugi in on all of the details of the dance competition, and Yugi had smiled and nodded at all the right places, but had remained relatively detached. It wasn't that he didn't care or wasn't interested, but he really hadn't met Téa to talk about the dance competition. Something had been bothering him for some time now. Since about a month ago, when he, Téa, Tristan and Joey had gone camping in the park... 

At a sudden lull in the conversation, Yugi took the advantage, and blurted out: 

"I really wanted to talk to you." 

"Oh yeah?" Téa suddenly looked both interested and nervous at the same time. "About what?" 

"I wanted to talk about Cora." 

Téa seemed to deflate, somehow. 

"What about her?" 

There was a marked tension in her voice, but Yugi ignored it and barrelled on. 

"I haven't seen her since, well, that time in the park..." 

"She's a spirit, Yugi, she's not _supposed_ to be seen." 

"I know, but..." 

"And, from what you told me about her, she's linked to the Duel Monsters Game - I mean, she _is_ the Queen of Hearts - and you haven't been duelling lately because of exams. So," Téa finished with an edge of irritation creeping into her voice, "I don't know what you're so concerned about." 

Yugi released an exasperated sigh. "It's not just Cora. It's Cora and... the spirit in my Millennium Puzzle." 

Téa's expression darkened, the apprehension returning as she cast a quick glance at the golden puzzle around Yugi's neck. "Okay - what about them?" 

"I think he's worried about her. He seems to think that... well, you know how Cora turns solid every New Moon...?" 

"No." 

"Well, every New Moon, she's not a spirit anymore. She has a body, like us. She had one in the park that time. Remember?" 

"Remember?" Téa echoed. "How could I forget?" - she shuddered - "you really creeped us all out there, Yugi." 

Yugi fell silent for a moment. Yes, he had creeped them all out. He had even creeped himself out. One short month ago, the spirit in Yugi's Millennium Puzzle had taken hold of him with such violence that Yugi had almost completely lost touch with himself, a thing that had never happened before. For one short period of time, Yugi had _become_ the spirit of the puzzle, and had demonstrated such potent magical power to defend Cora, who at the time had manifested in her physical form, that it had taken his body hours to recover from the strain of it when it was over. 

But since then, Yugi had made peace with the spirit of the puzzle. He understood now that the spirit loved Cora, the Queen of Hearts, and that he was sworn to protect her - that they were sworn to protect each other - and that they were bound together by magic. He had accepted this as part of the spirit inside him. And as a part of the spirit, it had become a part of himself, resulting in a stronger bond with the spirit within him. 

And now, recently, it seemed that his trust and his friendship had strengthened the spirit, and he was able to see him. Sometimes, a dreamlike apparition - himself but not himself - would appear. And he would be able to speak to him like a real friend. 

But... how much of this did he really want to share with Téa? 

"Yugi." 

"Huh?" He had forgotten about her. 

"I'm waiting." 

"Oh. Sorry. Well, remember that horrible, black monster-thing that was trying to kill Cora? The one I..." 

"Shot your lightening at? Yeah, I remember, Yugi." 

"Well, the spirit showed me stuff about them. They're from the Shadow Realm, and they were never supposed to be in our world. They live off of the life force of people - that is, humans. But there were these other magicians - dark magicians, evil ones - and they were conjuring those monsters - Soul Suckers, they called them..." 

"I can see why." 

"Yeah, I know. Anyways, they were conjuring these Soul-Suckers and turning them loose to try to gain more power over the Game, and I guess ultimately the world. But they were destroying everything. And Yami..." 

"Who?" 

"Yami. The spirit in my puzzle - his name is Yami." 

"Oh." 

"Anyways, Yami put a stop to this by binding all of the dark mages in some of the Millennium Items, and binding himself in the puzzle." 

Téa held up a hand. "Wait a minute - he bound _himself?_ Why? I don't get it..." 

"He bound himself just in case something like what's happening right now might happen. So he could fight them if someone started this whole mess up again..." 

Téa shook her head, expelling a long breath. "That's pretty drastic," she murmured softly. "That must be a really terrible thing to do to yourself..." 

"It's awful," Yugi interjected with a shudder, quite without thinking. But Téa's piercing blue eyes suddenly shot back to Yugi. 

"How do you know all this, Yugi?" 

For the first time during the discourse, Yugi averted Téa's bright, blue eyes. "He... he showed me," he mumbled. A shadow of concern fell across Téa's face, and her voice suddenly became deliberate and gentle. 

"How do you mean, he _showed_ you?" 

Yugi didn't answer at first. He had never spoken to anyone of what Yami had done to show him why he had taken such violent control of him that last New Moon. He had awakened a memory in himself, and so doing, had made it Yugi's. Yugi had lived through a time in ancient Egypt when Yami had conjured the Queen of Hearts in the hope of saving the magical Shadow Games all of the magic-users had worked so hard to master, and had in the end been forced to bind by magic both the Queen and the Game spells which were locked in the memories of the dark mages who had refused to relinquish their lust for dark power. Then, to remain with the Game and the Queen he loved, he had bound himself. Yugi shuddered again at the terrifying memory of himself being forced into the dark, cold puzzle... 

"You felt it, didn't you?" Téa whispered. 

"Huh?" Yugi snapped out of his reverie. 

"You felt it all, didn't you?" Téa repeated. 

Yugi closed his eyes. Téa narrowed hers, and again eyed the Millennium Puzzle with something like mistrust. Yugi's eyes opened just in time to catch the look. 

"It wasn't... it..." then he sighed in resignation, "Yes." 

Téa shook her head in disbelief. 

"What right did he have," she asked slowly, "to put you through all of that... garbage?" 

"Because," Yugi answered, just as slowly, "I asked him to." 

Téa was taken aback. Then she sighed and shrugged, but the concern and worry in her blue eyes remained. 

"All right. But, I don't see..." 

"The point is," Yugi pressed on, "that those monsters - those Soul-Suckers - had to be conjured, Téa. They don't just appear. And neither did the one in the park." 

The nasty feeling Téa had suddenly turned into something worse. 

"What are you saying, Yugi?" 

"I'm saying someone conjured that monster, Téa," Yugi said quietly. "Someone conjured that monster. And I think they'll do it again." 

Yugi brought his now intense violet eyes sharply into Téa's. 

"Unless we find out who it is. And stop them." 

  
* * * 


	3. Chapter 3 Remnants

_Well, there was a lot of necessary development and background in the last bit. Hope you're still with me - we start to get into the nitty-gritty in this part... :)_

Chapter 3 - Remnants

"Many is a word  
That only leaves you guessing  
Guessing 'bout a thing  
You really ought to know..."  
--Led Zeppelin, _Over the Hills and Far Away_

  
By the time Yugi and Téa had arrived at Téa's house, Yugi had to turn right around and walk back home to help Grandpa with the store. His reception at the store was none too warm, since he was fifteen minutes late, and the overall attitude did not improve much since for every dragging second of the day, he was completely distracted from his work. After a full day of admonishing from Grandpa, there was closing, cleanup and lockup. So, it was not until about 9:45PM that Yugi was finally able to call Téa. 

He sat, nervously drumming his fingers on the kitchen table as Téa's phone rang once... twice... 

_Come on_, he thought, _be awake..._

"Hello?" 

It wasn't Téa's voice - it was her mother. Yugi's stomach did a kind of half-flip. 

"H-hello, Mrs. Gardiner," Yugi pushed down the impatience, and tried to muster his best impress-the-grownups voice. "It's Yugi Moto. Is... is Téa there? I mean, is she still up?" 

"Oh, hello Yugi," Mrs. Gardiner said in a happy sort of voice. "Yes, Téa's still up. Hang on a minute and I'll get her." 

Yugi expelled a small sigh of relief. Then Téa was on the phone. 

"Yugi?" 

"Hi, Téa! Boy, I'm glad you're still up." 

"Yeah, well, I had a long nap this afternoon, and I'm just not tired..." 

"Good! Then how about meeting me at the park?" 

"What, _now?_" 

"Can you?" 

There was a very pregnant silence, then: "Okay. What about the rest of the gang?" 

This time it was Yugi's turn to pause. Then he said: "How about just you and me this time?" 

Another pause. 

"All right," Téa replied, "meet you there in five." 

"Cool. See ya." 

Yugi hung up the phone, and bounced out of the kitchen chair. If he was ever going to find out who had conjured the Soul Sucker at the last New Moon, he would have to start at the park. Maybe whoever it was had left some trace, some clue behind that would lead him to uncovering the identity of the conjurer. And once he knew who it was... 

...well, he would cross _that_ bridge when he came to it. 

At least, Téa would be there to help him. Together, they should be able to come up with something. She was one of his oldest friends, and she always seemed to understand him better than anyone. And she was always there for him, even when it was tough for her to be there. She had followed him (and Joey) to the Duellist Kingdom, just so she could be there for him (and Joey). And she had always encouraged him... 

In fact, she had even braved a duel with Mai Valentine, ruthless champion duellist that she was, _just_ for him, he thought, his mouth quivering into a smile... 

Anyways, Yugi thought, catching himself, she would be able to give him a hand out there. I mean, he couldn't do this _alone_, after all... 

And so, after changing his t-shirt, combing his hair, and brushing his teeth, he put on his coolest jean-jacket and went to the park to meet Téa.   


* * *   


"All right, I'm about ready to give up." 

Téa flumped down on the grass, expelling a long breath. The sun had descended into the trees, and the purplish hue of dusk veiled everything, muting the world into shades of grey. Yugi and Téa had searched all through their old campsite of a month ago, all around the area where Cora had been attacked by the Soul Sucker, at the base of the rocks where Yugi had magically healed Cora's body, all to no avail. Their search had brought them nothing but sore feet and heavy spirits. 

"There has to be something here," Yugi said, frustration lending an irritated edge to his tired voice. 

"Well," Téa replied, "it would help if we knew what we were looking _for._" 

Yugi threw his hands up in the air. "I don't know," he said, "something. Anything. Evidence. I don't know! What does one use to conjure a Soul Sucker?" 

Téa raised her eyebrows. "You're asking me?" 

"Ideas, Téa, I'm looking for ideas." 

"Magic Soul Sucker Conjuring Stuff," Téa suggested, closing her eyes as she arched her spine and tilted her head back in a stretch. 

Yugi's eyes threw daggers at Téa. "Thanks," he said deprecatingly. 

"Don't mention it," she smiled. 

Yugi turned around and began sifting through the vast expanse of ferns fringing the woods that occupied most of the park. Téa dropped her head down to her chest, and heaved a heavy sigh. 

"All right," she said resignedly, "I'm coming." 

Hauling herself to a standing position, she looked up to see some gently waving fern fronds, but no Yugi. Dragging her tired feet, she stepped into the waist-high ferns where Yugi had just disappeared. She took a few running steps to catch up - and almost tripped over him. Yugi was crouched down, looking intently at something that lay beneath the green latticework of fern leaves. She crouched beside him with a dramatic flourish. 

"Have you found your evidence, Mr. Holmes?" Téa asked in her best British accent. 

"I don't know," he said seriously, bending down to have a closer look. Téa's smile faded, and she directed her eyes to the small spot on the ground where Yugi was staring. 

There were three small bodies on the ground. Three small cat corpses. 

"So, some cats died here," Téa commented uneasily, looking deliberately away from the grisly display. "What's the big deal?" 

Yugi glanced sidelong at Téa. 

"Three cats just happened to die here in a row?" he asked her pointedly. "After they all slit their own throats?" 

Téa pursed her lips at Yugi, then took a second unwilling look at the small arrangement on the ground. Nearly skeletons, each one was almost completely decomposed, except for patches of dry skin and hair that clung stubbornly to the exposed bone. Each one was laid beside the next, as though they had been systematically placed there. They were all lying on their backs, and each of them had a wide, unnatural separation of the dry, shrivelled skin at the base of the jaw - a wide opening that stretched from one side of the neck to the other, almost like a massive second mouth. What was left of the patchy fur around each opening was stained a rusty brown. 

They both stared at the small epitaph with growing unease. Téa turned away again. 

"Yugi, these could have been here forever..." 

"Uh-uh," Yugi interrupted. "Look at them. There's still some... uh... gunk." 

Téa didn't want to look at them again. She was feeling a little queasy. 

"Well, what does it mean?" she asked in a quiet, stricken whisper. "Someone has a really sick hobby?" 

Yugi didn't answer, and instead pushed on into the trees, picking his way through the undergrowth, and parting the long, leafy branches with his hands. He didn't have to go very far, however, before he stepped free of trees into an area of low brush and patchy grass on dirt. 

"Hey, did you know there was a clearing back here?" he shouted back at Téa. 

"I don't think I've ever been back here," Téa replied, emerging from behind a slender silver birch tree. 

"Wait a minute," Yugi suddenly brightened. "I remember this place! Me and Bakura used to come here when we were kids!" 

"Really?" 

"Yeah, we used to play Commando all around here," Yugi laughed softly. "He was always better than me at that game. I tell you, I could _never_ hear him move through the trees. He'd be all over me before I even knew what happened." 

"What's this all over the ground?" Téa asked abruptly, as her eyes dropped to the dirt and grass that carpeted the tiny clearing. The dirt was clumped and dug up in a wide circle, and there were patterns drawn at specific points around it. 

Yugi's wistful smile faded in an instant. He remembered this circle. Remembered seeing one permanently inscribed on a stone floor in a candle lit room. Remembered making a similar one himself - the night he had conjured Cora... 

No... not him... 

Yami... 

"Téa," he whispered. "That... that's a Spell Circle..." 

"How do you..." Téa began, then her eyes dropped to the pyramid-shaped Millennium Puzzle swinging from the long chain around Yugi's neck. "Never mind," she finished. 

Yugi suddenly had an eerie thought. Scrambling to the edge of the circle where the pattern had been half-drawn on the grass and half-dug into the earth, moss and rocks, Yugi dropped to his hands and knees and looked closely at the pattern, pointing the small flashlight he brought directly at a rocky patch of ground at the top half of the pattern. The pattern was a rusty, dark brown that did not look like paint of any kind. 

"Téa," Yugi said quietly, "I think this is blood." 

"I think we've done enough investigating, don't you?" Téa said abruptly. "It's getting really late, and I'm starting to get a bit creeped out..." 

"You see what I'm getting at?" 

"Yes, Yugi, but..." - she hissed out a small breath, her hands wringing nervously - "Spell Circles drawn in cat's blood? I thought this had something to do with all that Egyptian Magic stuff. I mean, didn't Ancient Egyptians _like_ cats? Like, weren't they sacred, or something?" 

Yugi shrugged, raising himself up to his knees. "I don't know, Téa," he sighed. "Maybe whoever-it-was that made this thought cat's blood would be... extra-powerful, or something..." 

There was a short, uncomfortable silence. 

"Well," Yugi said, "if they left these here, maybe there's more. Maybe there's something that could trace us back to the actual person." 

Téa looked like she was about to answer, then her face sort of brightened into a slight, peculiar smile and she cocked her head. 

"What are _you_ doing here?" she asked. 

Yugi looked up at Téa, puzzled. "I came here with you, remember?" 

Then in the next three seconds, everything turned topsy-turvy. 

Téa was suddenly running at him, her face alive with fear, shouting "Stop! What are you doing?" And just about then, Yugi began to get the idea that maybe Téa wasn't talking to him, that maybe she was talking to someone else... 

...but then there was a devastating explosion somewhere at the base of his skull. The whole world burst into a hundred thousand stars, and then went black. 

  
* * * 


	4. Chapter 4 Perpetrator

_Thank you, YamiMommy - I hope you will continue to read & enjoy! _

Here is the next little bit of "Shadow Reign" - quite little, actually, by comparison to my usual updates! :)   


Chapter 4 - Perpetrator

"I could not run away it seemed  
We'd seen each other in a dream  
Seemed like he knew me  
He looked right through me..."  
--Heart, _Magic Man_

  
_"Yugi..." A voice he thought he should recognize, but he... couldn't... _

Morphing out of the dark in front of him - a kind of black-on-black silhouette... 

"Yugi..." 

Through the inky darkness, the voice: coming from the silhouette - but not really... 

No face... only eyes... black eyes... 

Don't belong... Wrong eyes... 

"Yugi... please help me..." 

  
"Leave him alone." 

Yugi heard his own voice. Téa's face smeared into focus. She breathed an audible sigh of relief. 

"You're awake. Thank God you're okay..." 

Téa's voice sounded strained. Yugi pushed himself up on one elbow and winced. 

"Did you catch the guy with the wrecking ball?" he asked. 

Téa allowed a thin smile. "I guess it can't be too bad if you're making jokes." 

"I don't know," Yugi answered, wincing again as he gingerly ran his fingertips across the egg-sized lump rising on the back of his head. "This is gonna smart for awhile..." 

Téa's thin smile dissolved into worry. "I can't believe he did that. I don't know what came over him..." 

Yugi looked sharply up at Téa, abandoning his bump-examination. 

"What, you _saw_ who it was? Who was it?" 

Téa didn't seem to hear him. 

"I was actually happy to see him," she went on, upset and angry. "I asked him what he was doing here, but he didn't answer. Then the light from that lamp over there sort of fell across his face..." 

"_Whose_ face?" 

"...and he didn't look right, Yugi! There was something wrong with him. He looked, like... _evil_, or something. Then I started to get afraid. I yelled at him..." 

"Yelled at _who?_" 

"...and he had this big stick, Yugi! And he hit you so hard! I started screaming for the police. Then he just looked at me with this really terrible look in his eyes. I thought he was going to attack me next, but all he did was sort of sneer and run away..." 

"Téa!" Yugi shouted, "_who was it?_" 

Téa finally stopped her torrential account of events. Her brilliant blue eyes turned to meet Yugi's, and they were nervous and troubled. 

"It was Bakura." 

Yugi blinked at her. "What?" 

Téa looked evenly at Yugi, her voice shaky, but resolute. 

"It was Bakura, Yugi," she repeated. "I'm sure of it." 

  
* * * 


	5. Chapter 5 Deviant

_Here we begin the mom-mi-oh slant on the Yugi Universe. This installment is the first that references back to Samekh; remember - he was the spirit in the Millennium Ring in The Queen of Hearts... _

Again, YamiMommy, thank you so much for your faithfulness and encouragement. This one is a *little* longer. Let me know if there's enough cheese... ;) 

  
Chapter 5 - Deviant 

"Life is bigger  
It's bigger than you  
And you are not me  
The lengths that I would go to  
The distance in your eyes  
Oh no, I said too much  
I set it up..."  
--REM, _Losing My Religion_   


Although Yugi had finished his exams on Friday, he was walking through the front doors of Domino High School on Monday before he had even eaten lunch. According to the schedule, Bakura - who had taken an extra-credit course in Calculus - would have written his exam at 9:30AM this morning, and knowing how meticulous Bakura was, Yugi knew that he would be one of the last people out, regardless of how well he knew the material. 

The red, digital numbers of the pixelboard/hall clock just rolled over to 12:30PM as Yugi entered the near-empty third-year locker area. The silent, heavy atmosphere of exams had settled in firmly over the school, and Yugi had the distinct urge to tiptoe through the hallways lined with several students in small clutches of twos and threes, hunched over books and binders, or sitting on the floor with their heads together and speaking in quiet undertones over some piece of notepaper. Every now and then, there would be a student's bottom half sticking out of a locker with a garbage bag, or a box on the floor beside them half full of books, paper, and various other things like mouldy fruit or old socks. It was the second locker from the end of the hall that had the familiar bottom half of Bakura sticking out of it. As Yugi had expected, Bakura was still at the school. 

Yugi stood still for a moment. Now that he had found Bakura, he really wasn't sure what to say to him. Somehow, the phrase: "So, Bakura, why did you club me in the head Saturday night?" didn't strike him as an appropriate opening line. Deciding to take a more subtle approach, he sauntered down the last few feet of hallway, stopped beside Bakura's locker, and gave the metal door a friendly, but abrupt, push against Bakura's rump. 

"What the...?" came the muffled exclamation from the depths of the locker, and the jean-clad behind began a backward progression out into the hall. Soon, the dishevelled mound of creamy blonde hair emerged and Bakura turned his delicate face up to look at Yugi. 

Striking was the only word to describe Yugi's childhood friend. Fair of skin with hair so blonde it looked white, the eyes that belonged to these features rebelled with a darkness that would rival the blackest night. Bakura was as slender as Yugi's lanky friend Joey, but not nearly as tall. In fact, he stood only slightly taller than Yugi. Yugi and Bakura had been close as children, and had often played together. As they entered high school, however, and branched into different courses, they had seen less and less of each other, Yugi finding friendship among his classmates: first Téa, then Joey and Tristan. As he forced what he hoped was a winning smile on to his face to greet his old friend, he noticed that the large, dark eyes of Bakura had changed, somehow. They seemed... more guarded, as though something disturbing lay in their depths. But then Bakura smiled up at Yugi in return in his warm, quiet way, and Yugi dismissed the sudden feeling of unease that had somehow crawled into him. _Téa had to be wrong_, he told himself. _It couldn't have been Bakura..._

...but then his eyes caught a flicker of movement at Bakura's chest, and he directed his violet gaze to a glimmering ring of gold hanging from a gold chain around Bakura's throat: the Millennium Ring. 

This magical ring had been a part of Bakura's life for about as long as Yugi's Millennium Puzzle had been a part of Yugi's life. Although both Yugi and Bakura were unclear of exactly what kind of magic it possessed, they had seen some disturbing manifestations of its power - usually taking control of Bakura in some way. Once, Bakura had somehow placed all of them into a Duel Monsters game in the Shadow Realm, where he, Téa, Joey, and Tristan were the monsters, and if it weren't for Yami - who was actually playing against Bakura - they would probably still be part of Bakura's deck. But Bakura wasn't Bakura then - he had split into two souls, just like Yugi and Yami, and Yami, thankfully, had proved the stronger over Bakura's dark presence... 

Oddly enough, in spite of this Yugi had never thought much about Bakura's Millennium Ring. He supposed that he had simply accepted the Ring as part of Bakura now - much like the Puzzle had become a part of himself - and had never thought to suspect the Ring's magical influence on his gentle friend. 

However, as his gaze dropped down to the shining golden circlet hanging dormantly in front of Bakura's yellow "Tommy" sweatshirt, a dark impression fluttered on night wings into his mind... 

...a shadow - a memory of a memory... 

_...power flying from his hands - Yami's hands - striking the dark mage who had destroyed with his lust everything that had been his world. Striking both him and a golden circlet. A ring. The Millennium Ring..._

Samekh - Samekh and the Ring - bound forever... 

And as Yugi stared at the Millennium Ring, a large and very ugly hatred began to grow inside him. Hatred of that... _thing_ around Bakura's neck. 

And for the first time in his life, a dark mistrust of the Millennium magic bloomed in his heart. 

Off balance and disconcerted, Yugi suddenly realized he was still standing in the hallway, smiling down at Bakura, who's smile had become vaguely questioning. 

"Hey, bud," Yugi said quickly, trying to sound casual while the disturbing darkness inside him fought to surface. "How'd the exams go?" 

Bakura rolled his eyes with a smile. "They're over," he sighed. "Finally." 

Yugi gave a loud, forced laugh, which he ceased almost immediately as he realized how nervous it sounded. 

"Yeah," he agreed. He stared at the floor, avoiding Bakura's dark eyes, and kicked his toes at nothing. 

"So," Yugi tried again, "any big plans for the summer? Like, uh, camping in the park, or something?" 

"Nah, I'm not into stuff like that," Bakura answered. "Besides, I haven't been to the park in ages." 

Bakura's answer came with a noticeable movement of his midnight eyes downward, and Yugi detected a sudden evasiveness in his manner that didn't make him feel any better about what he was doing, and left a sick feeling in his stomach as he began to think that maybe Téa was right about his old friend. 

Bakura looked back up at Yugi, and his disconcertingly dark eyes dropped down to Yugi's hands. 

Yugi suddenly realized that he had somehow managed to twist the chain for his Millennium Puzzle tightly around all five fingers of his left hand. 

Trying to look nonchalant, Yugi began to unwind the chain - which left dark indents in his skin - all the time wishing Bakura would stop watching him so carefully from under the creamy blonde turmoil hanging low over the night dark eyes. 

"I thought you were finished on Friday, Yugi," Bakura said suddenly, a creepy sort of wariness filtering into his voice. "What brings you back to school?" 

"Uh," Yugi began, now furiously trying to yank his hand out of the devious tangle that refused to relinquish its hold. "I... uh... I just... uh... wanted... to... uh... see..." 

Bakura waited expectantly, watching Yugi's struggle with a cold lack of emotion. Yugi began to think that he was actually very bad at being subtle. 

"Listen, Bakura," Yugi said, finally giving up on all of this subtlety, "weren't you in the park Saturday night?" 

"Why do you ask?" Bakura queried, more than a little defensive. 

"Because... because Téa said she saw you," Yugi answered, trying to quell the sudden swarm of butterflies that had just infested his stomach. 

"Téa was in the park Saturday night?" 

"Actually, we were both in the park Saturday night." 

"And _you_ didn't see me?" 

"I couldn't see you, Bakura," Yugi said, beginning to get irritated, "because I was flat on my face on the ground." 

"Pardon me?" 

"I was on the ground because someone walloped me with a stick, Bakura," Yugi went on, trying to keep the anger from his voice. "Someone Téa said was you." 

  
* * * 


	6. Chapter 6 Corruption

_Okay, this is more of a mom-mi-oh-sized update...!_   


Chapter 6 - Corruption 

"Walls  
Trapped within  
Yellow eyes  
The cutters  
Drooling face  
Rips apart  
Cuts to the heart..."  
--Skinny Puppy, _Tormentor_   


Bakura's stomach dropped sickeningly at Yugi's obvious accusation. What did he mean, hit him with a stick? _I... hit Yugi...?_

Yugi was watching him, now. He tried to keep the panic from his face as his mind furiously raced to Saturday night. What was he doing Saturday night? Where was he...? 

...but he... couldn't remember... 

_No_, he thought, a vise of fear squeezing his head, _not another blackout..._

Then he felt the familiar, unwanted chill up his spine and across his brain. 

_It doesn't matter..._ he _doesn't matter..._

Voices... voices again... 

_Please_, he begged the voice, _please... not again..._

But the voice pressed in on him, overpowered him, and he once more felt the dizzying descent: falling... falling into oblivion... 

_Yugi... please... help me..._   


* * *   


Yugi wasn't sure what happened just then, but he thought there was a sudden chill that passed between them, and the dark eyes in the face of his friend seemed... darker, somehow. Yugi felt a tug inside, a warning tingle he thought might be Yami, or maybe even something more primal - like a sense of fear or foreboding - and he had the distinct impression that he wasn't even talking to the same person, all of a sudden, like the person standing in front of him was someone he didn't know - and shouldn't trust. 

_Stop it_, he told himself, _this is Bakura - he's my friend... _

...I think... 

Bakura turned his face away, as though he was ashamed. 

"I'm sorry, Yugi," he said quietly. "I don't remember much about Saturday night." 

"What do you mean, you 'don't remember?'," Yugi frowned. "How could you not remember hitting me over the head?" 

Bakura looked distressed. 

"It's my Millennium Ring, Yugi," he said, a miserable tone to his voice. "Sometimes... it just... takes over. I... I black out, and I don't... remember things. There are big gaps..." 

Bakura's face was still turned away, and the feeling of heaviness was still nested firmly in Yugi's stomach. The Millennium Ring glinted darkly in the dusty sunlight filtering in from a tall, narrow window in the middle of the hallway. Yugi found himself staring at it again. 

"H-how do you mean, 'it just takes over'?" Yugi asked falteringly. 

"_You_ know, Yugi," Bakura replied, his eyes suddenly shooting up sharply to Yugi's, "just like your Puzzle does to you." 

"My puzzle doesn't do that, Bakura," Yugi said. "I don't have blackouts..." 

Even as he said the words, conversations he had had in the past were playing back in his mind: 

_"Yugi, what was it you did to that guy that day?" _

"I don't know, Téa. By the time I came to, that mugger was already on the ground. I don't remember a thing about it..." 

...and again, more recently: 

_"Yugi, you mean you don't remember anything you did? Anything at all?" _

"Yes... I mean... I remember I was really angry..." 

But that was a long time ago, Yugi told himself. 

But he couldn't lighten the weight that was now growing cold inside his stomach. And he couldn't stop the feeling that if Bakura's Millennium Item was doing this to him, what was stopping his Millennium Item from doing the same to himself? 

And even though he knew Yami, what did he really know besides one memory? 

"You know, Bakura," Yugi said unsteadily. "If your ring does stuff like that to you, why do you keep it? Why don't you just... get rid of it. I mean, if it's controlling you..." 

Bakura stood upright, his dark eyes boring into Yugi. 

"It's the power, Yugi." Bakura's voice had suddenly taken on a strange timbre - one that Yugi didn't like at all. "Can't you feel it, too? You, of all people, must understand!" 

Bakura's eyes dropped hungrily to Yugi's Millennium Puzzle. Yugi felt his insides begin to writhe like some large and unpleasant squid. 

"It's not true, Bakura," Yugi could hear the tremor in his own voice. "It's not the same..." 

"Sure it is! Of course it is! It's why you love the Puzzle, Yugi! I know! It... it's like some sort of... rush. When you play the Game, when the power comes... it fills you. Controls you. It's... like you're... bigger. Like a god..." 

Yugi's insides were roiling, now. He looked away from the disconcerting intensity of Bakura's night black eyes. _He's wrong_, he told himself. _I'm not the same... _

...am I...? 

"Of course, Yugi, if you were to break the hold your puzzle has on you," Bakura said suddenly, looking hard at Yugi, "I might feel that I could... possibly... break the hold of the Millennium Ring. 

"Of course, if you can't," Bakura looked away from Yugi's terror-stricken eyes, "how could I ever feel that I could have power over this? I mean, you've always been so much... _stronger_ than me, Yugi." 

  
* * * 

  
"_Yugi!_ What are you _doing?_" 

"Huh? Oh! Oh...I'm sorry Grandpa!" 

Yugi immediately began to remove the twenty-four Egyptian Duel Monster Playing Cards he had just mixed up in the large box of Monster Mania Collector Cards. 

Grandpa expelled an exasperated sigh. 

"Honestly! Ever since Téa came back from that dance competition, you've been walking around in a fog!" Grandpa barked. 

Yugi flushed. "No! That's not the... I mean..." 

"Never mind, Yugi! I don't care who- or what- the reason is. Just why don't you get out of here and sort whatever-it-is that's on your mind out with whoever- or whatever- is causing it, _before_ you get back to work tomorrow?" 

"But Grandpa! Closing..." 

"I can handle it, Yugi. And probably a lot quicker than I could if you were helping. Just go!" 

"Are you...?" 

"OUT!!" 

Yugi exited the rear of the store and climbed the stairs to the apartment. It was no use arguing with Grandpa now. And it was just as well that he thought that Téa was the reason for his distraction. How could he ever tell Grandpa - who always thought that the Millennium Magic was so wonderful and so special - that the very magic he had given him as a gift was the cause of the destructive change in his friend's character? 

As he closed the door of his room behind him, the familiar shiver rippled through him, and the glow that only he could see illuminated the gold of his puzzle. This time, the spirit of Yami shimmered and stood before him. 

Like a reflection in a dusty mirror, the daunting figure of the young magician was startlingly similar to Yugi himself. Yugi was never sure if this was because Yami had become a part of him, and so had taken on a resemblance to him, or if it was because he had actually looked like him when he had occupied a body of his own. Either way, from the red-gold hair to the violet eyes, Yami was like an older twin of himself. 

But the figure of Yami, which had usually brought comfort and a secret sense of wonder, this time only heightened the disquiet inside Yugi, and Yugi actually had no desire to see Yami at all. Of course, Yami could sense this, and his sharp, dark eyes regarded Yugi gravely. 

"Don't trust Samekh's words..." Yami began. 

"That wasn't Samekh," Yugi reminded him bitterly. "That was Bakura." 

"No, it was not," Yami replied softly. 

"How can you be so sure?" Yugi snapped back with sudden vehemence. "I think I know my own friend when I see him..." 

"I have eyes that you do not have, Yugi." 

"Really?" Yugi said sourly. 

"Yes," Yami said delicately, as though he knew (and probably did know) the distress Yugi was feeling. 

"So, you're saying that he can be Bakura, and then he can be Samekh, in a second? Without me noticing anything?" Yugi was trying so hard not to shout. 

"Yes, Yugi. You _know_ that..." 

"No! No, I don't! And even if he could, you're saying that Samekh can just... just... take over? What's that all about? Can't Bakura stop it?" 

"No, he can't," Yami replied softly, concern rising behind his eyes. 

"So, you're saying that he's just taking over, whether Bakura wants it or not?" 

"Samekh is evil," Yami reasoned. "He lusts only for power, and he will do anything to get it..." 

"But Bakura is my friend! You can't make _me_ hate _him_, Yami! We've been friends for... for... well, since we were kids! Since before we knew there ever were Duel Monsters, or Millennium Items, or anything! We..." 

Yugi broke off. A dark anger was expanding in his chest. 

"I'm not asking you to hate him..." 

"And what makes what _you_ do to _me_ any different from what Samekh does to Bakura?" 

Finally, the fear found its voice. And with it, the dark mass of anger followed. 

"You're just as power-hungry as the rest of them!" Yugi lashed out blindly, wanting to hurt. "You're all the same! Listen, you guys had your chance at life! You had it thousands of years ago, but instead of dying like everybody else, you found a way to cheat death and save all your crap like some computer virus until somebody like me, or Bakura, could come along and bring it all back into our world so you could wreck it just like you did yours! Who do you think you are, waltzing back into the world and taking over people's lives? What right do you have to ruin more lives than you already have? Huh?" 

"Yugi," Yami whispered, his voice stricken, "that's not true..." 

"The hell it's not!" Yugi shouted, tears now filling his eyes, blurring the already flickering apparition of Yami before him. "I didn't ask for this! Bakura didn't ask for this! We didn't ask to be thrown into the middle of some ancient Egyptian power struggle! We don't want you here! And you don't belong here!" 

Yugi's hands were fumbling with the heavy chain around his neck - the chain that held the Millennium Puzzle. 

Yami watched Yugi's hands - saw what they were doing. 

"Yugi," Yami said again, his violet eyes moving slowly back to Yugi's tear-streaked face. "It was always your choice..." 

"Yeah. You're right," Yugi's voice had dropped to a shaking whisper. "It is my choice. And so is this!" 

Yugi was holding the puzzle in his hands. He could feel its weight, feel its smooth, flat sides, only the ridges of the puzzle pieces marring the smoothness of it. It felt warm, as though it was somehow alive, as it probably was... 

Yami was still watching him, his face expressionless, in no way revealing the great sorrow Yugi could see so clearly in his eyes, and feel so sharply in his heart. But he pushed it down, forced it behind his anger, let his anger fuel him as he raised the puzzle over his head and flung it with all of his might against the far wall. 

A metallic clatter marked its destruction as the puzzle splintered into its many pieces, and the image of Yami, whose eyes had never left Yugi's face, dissolved into nothingness... 

Yugi stared for a moment at the place where Yami's image had stood, blinking and blinking as tears kept falling from his eyes. _There_, he thought, _get lost and leave us alone._

He turned and stalked out of the room, leaving the shattered puzzle glinting darkly on the floor. 

  
* * * 


	7. Chapter 7 Failure

_Finally! A moment to post a little more... _

To those who reviewed - I thank you!! 

YamiMommy - Very perceptive! Poor Yugi. And... I'm glad you're enjoying the soundtrack! 

Lady Yami - Yes, Yugi's having a bit of an off day... and it's only going to get worse >;^) 

_So, we continue..._

  
Chapter 7 - Failure 

"Masquerading as a man with a reason  
My charade is the event of the season  
And if I claim to be a wise man  
It surely means that I don't know..."  
-- Kansas, _Carry On Wayward Son_   


_I did it. I did it. It's gone..._

Not that he had to tell himself that it was gone. There was a devastating emptiness - like a consuming black hole - that was pressing in on all of his senses. But he forced his eyes forward and outran it, walking, then running, then walking again in a blind, headlong rush to Bakura's house. 

And the whole time he tried to make himself believe that he had done the right thing, that he was free now, in spite of the horrible weight encasing his heart, and the terrible sense of betrayal he felt as the image of that final look on Yami's face continued to play back in his mind. 

Long shadows were increasing their dominion over the suburban street where Bakura lived when Yugi turned up the short walkway to the small cement step that preceded the threshold of a dusty blue door adorned with a flowered wreath, which was the entrance to Bakura's house. With a shaking finger, he pressed the dimly lit doorbell button on the doorframe. He heard the distant _bong_ of the bell sound on the other side of the door, followed by footsteps that he prayed were Bakura's 

The door opened and a warm orange-gold light fell across Yugi's face, and he squinted in the sudden brightness. The slight figure haloed by the light in the doorway halted abruptly, and the Millennium Ring caught the light as it swung gently from its chain. 

"Bakura," Yugi's voice sounded foreign to him. "I did it. I mean... I could do it. And so could you." 

Bakura blinked, looking confused. "Yugi? What... I mean, why are you here? I..." 

"I came here as soon as I did it," Yugi suddenly found his voice, and it was a little shaky. "I was thinking about what you said at school, and I... 

"'At school?'" Bakura echoed, still looking confused. "What did I say at school?" 

Yugi faltered and stopped talking. Something didn't seem right, all of a sudden. 

"When I was at school with you, earlier," Yugi tried again. "Remember?" 

Bakura put a hand up to his head as though he had a headache. The night-dark eyes closed. 

"Not really," he said. 

Yugi's heart suddenly seemed to not be beating right. 

"What do you mean, 'not really'?" he asked breathlessly. 

"Yugi, I don't remember saying much to you at all," Bakura said haltingly. "I remember you talking about Téa in the park, and... something else..." 

"You said that you were being controlled by your Millennium Ring," Yugi said, suddenly feeling frantic. "You said that you... couldn't help yourself. You said I was the same way, and I thought about it and I thought that maybe you were right. But you said that if I got rid of the Millennium Puzzle, that maybe you could find the strength in you to get rid of the Millennium Ring, and then we could all just... go back to normal..." 

"I..." Bakura began, looking very upset. 

"So," Yugi interrupted, ignoring Bakura, refusing to hear him, refusing to think that maybe something had gone awfully wrong, "so I broke it." 

Any colour that was in Bakura's pale face drained completely. 

"You did _what?_" 

"I broke it, Bakura," Yugi barrelled on. "Now you can get rid of yours. I'll help..." 

"You _IDIOT!_" 

Bakura's sudden assault shocked Yugi into silence. He might as well have slapped Yugi across the face. 

"Any chance I had of breaking the hold of this thing, I had because of your magic, Yugi. You and the Millennium Puzzle. You had the only light magic in this whole mess - and you _broke_ it?" 

"But," Yugi was finding it hard to breathe, "but... you said..." 

Bakura cut into Yugi's feeble protest with a low, angry growl. 

"Don't you think," he said, "that I've tried to get rid of this before?" 

Yugi didn't answer. An internal surf was eroding his insides. 

"It always comes back to me, Yugi," Bakura went on, his jaw clenched. "Tristan tried to throw it away once. _I've_ tried it! It always finds its way back to me. It's magic. It's always here, around my neck! I'm _never_ free of it!" 

Yugi managed a choked whisper. "I... was... trying to... help..." 

"Help? How could you even hope to help me without magic? How, Yugi?" 

Yugi couldn't answer. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't feel. Could only watch Bakura's despairing eyes fill with tears. 

"Without that puzzle, Yugi," Bakura said in a dead voice, "you can't help me. You can't help anyone." 

Bakura glared at him for many moments before finally turning away in disgust. 

"Just go away now," he dismissed him with a cruelty Yugi would not have thought possible in his gentle friend. "I don't want to talk to you right now. Just go... _play_ with Téa or something." 

Bakura closed the door behind him, leaving a shell that was once Yugi Moto alone in the gathering shadows of dusk. 

  
* * * 


	8. Chapter 8 Pieces

_Well, I had intended to post this Thursday night, but FF had crashed and burned. So, here it is now, a bit behind schedule_ :/ 

_Yamimommy - thank you for the very concise and thoughtful review! _

'Quit my job and write'? I wish!! 

We are now about half-way through this story - let us rejoin Yugi in his very bad day... 

  
Chapter 8 - Pieces 

"Today I woke up and you were gone  
The whole day wondering what I did wrong  
It's like I'm falling from a mountaintop  
My heart keeps pounding and it won't stop..."  
--Default, _Deny_   


Yugi walked into the above-store apartment he and his Grandpa shared to the muted sounds of an ancient episode of _Matlock_ nattering away on the TV. He clicked the door shut quietly, in case Grandpa was asleep, then turned the deadbolt knob and put the chain on the door. 

"Yugi?" 

Yugi jumped. It was Grandpa. 

"Sorry, Grandpa," he said quietly, trying to work up some of his usual jovial attitude, and only succeeded in producing a tight sort of strained voice that sounded worse than it would have sounded had he not tried to mask his misery at all. "Did I wake you?" 

"No, no," Grandpa answered, shaking his head. "I've been up waiting. Where have you been, Yugi? It's late..." 

"Sorry, Grandpa," Yugi said again. "I had to... I just... took a walk..." 

Yugi's eyes were deliberately forced down as he pretended to have trouble taking off one of his running shoes. Grandpa frowned, but his gentle voice belied the concern so deeply carved into the years of his face. 

"It's okay, Yugi. Just..." Grandpa hesitated, then sighed, watching Yugi with careful, measuring eyes. "Just let me know next time, okay?" 

"All right, Grandpa." 

Eyes still forced down, Yugi finally kicked off his shoe and in one sweeping motion, brushed quickly past Grandpa to the hallway. 

"I'm just going to bed now, okay?" he mumbled hurriedly. 

Without waiting for Grandpa to answer, Yugi vanished into the hallway in the direction of his room. 

Grandpa took a few halting steps in Yugi's wake, but stopped in the shadow of the hallway entrance. He stared down the hall at the closed door of Yugi's room, and his brow furrowed, more sharply etching the creases that the shadows of the hallway traced into his face. 

"Sure," he said softly, "that's fine, son..." 

Yugi was leaning against the other side of the closed door, his eyes closed. He thought that maybe he should be crying, that he would really like to be crying right now, but he couldn't. There was nothing inside of him to cry out. He just felt numb. Hollow... and numb... 

He opened his eyes, and the scattered pieces of the Millennium Puzzle winked back at him from the floor. Yugi watched them for a long moment, half expecting some sort of emotion to explode inside him, allowing him to weep, to scream, to something... 

...but there was none. 

He closed his eyes one more time. They burned, as though they were very tired. 

"How could I have been so wrong," he whispered into the silence, "about everything?" 

Slowly, wearily, he opened his eyes, trudged over to the scattered pieces and lowered himself to the floor... 

...and - piece by tiny piece - began the arduous process of rebuilding the Millennium Puzzle. 

  
* * *   


On Friday night, the thinnest sliver of fingernail moon floated among the stars over the suburbs of Domino City, and Yugi stood watching it from Téa's porch. He had been on the way home from Joey Wheeler's house, and had decided to drop in to see Téa on the way by. Téa stood with him, and they were each sipping a cool glass of lemonade, talking. 

"So, is Joey on his way?" Téa asked. 

"Uh-huh. Tristan is going with him again. You know," Yugi smiled, "I think he kind of likes her." 

Téa rolled her eyes and laughed. "Well, he'd better not tell Joey, or we'll be minus one Tristan!" 

They both laughed, but then Téa added, more seriously: "You know, I think it's great that Joey's mom is letting him visit Serenity on the weekends. I guess she's finally softening up." 

"Well, having your son win lots of money, and bring it home to pay for an operation to let your daughter see again will do that to you," Yugi added, not without sarcasm. But then he smiled. "But I think it's great, too. I just miss him... a lot... on the weekends, now." 

Téa smiled sympathetically. "True. But Serenity's been missing him for years, now. It's our turn to miss him for awhile." 

Yugi gave a very forced laugh. "Yeah. You're right, of course." 

A nighthawk's eerie cry echoed through the silence that followed. Yugi took another sip of the lemonade he had hardly touched. 

"So," Téa asked gently, "any sign of Yami since you put the puzzle back together?" 

Yugi kept his eyes riveted on his lemonade. "Not even a whisper," he answered lowly. Then he added. "You know, I even played a couple of games, just to see if... if..." 

His voice disintegrated into nothing. Téa chewed her lip, then asked, "Did you win?" 

Yugi's eyes shot up to the tiny sliver of moon. They looked very bright, all of a sudden, and Téa felt a sharp knife of emotion twist inside at the emptiness she saw in them. 

"Yeah, I won," he said brokenly. "But he... he just... wasn't there." 

Téa sighed. The knife that had started inside was twisting itself into a nasty stomach ache. 

"Maybe it wasn't a real challenge, you know," Téa suggested weakly. "Maybe you just need a real... hard game, or something." 

Yugi laughed again. It was a hollow, joyless sound. 

"Yeah, maybe that's all it was," he replied hopelessly. "Maybe." 

Yugi set his almost-full glass of lemonade down on the patio table. "Well," he said, "I'd better get home. Got to work tomorrow." 

Téa's stomach was still aching. "Sure," she said, then added, "Say, you want to go for a soda after work tomorrow?" 

"Well, I don't..." Yugi began, then stopped. "Sure," he finished miserably. 

He turned and walked slowly up the sidewalk. 

Téa watched the hunched, dejected figure tread wearily away, trying to quiet her churning insides. 

It's just as well, she told herself. It's probably for the better. Yugi didn't need that stupid puzzle anyway. All it did was put him in danger, and take over his life. Maybe now he could just leave all that crap behind and just be Yugi... 

But the stomach ache would not go away. In fact, it got worse. 

Téa threw both unfinished lemonades over the porch rail onto the lawn, and carried the empty glasses inside, feeling a terrible sense of concern, and now a growing fear. 

  
* * * 


	9. Chapter 9 Strike

_It's been really hairy around here lately, and I'm 'way behind on posting! _

Thanks again, YamiMommy! As for your questions - well, I'd tell ya, but then I'd have to kill ya... ;) 

Here is the next teeny bit... 

  
Chapter 9 - Strike 

"In this world now I am undying  
I unfurl my flag, my nation helpless..."  
--David Usher, _Black Black Heart_

  
A tingling rainfall of physical sensation started deep within and spread until it had reached the tips of her fingers. Warmth followed, radiating through her and from her, and the awareness of heart beating and lungs breathing filled her with both exhilarating wonder and a stark awareness of her own fragility. Once again, Cora was solid. 

For a moment she closed her eyes, relishing the feel of the cool breeze playing with her hair, the feel of the grass under her feet. She stretched: muscle, sinew, bone, blood. This gift - this body - was hers because of Yami, and it was both blessing to her, and curse to them both. 

Yami. 

The shivering brightness that slithered through her at the thought of even his name was part of the curse. He, too, felt it. Still felt it - even now, when he only existed in the body of a young boy - and that only shared, only when need demanded it. And now because of this, the boy, too, was at risk... 

She thought of the young boy - his wide, innocent eyes filled with tears and remorse for the pain that he had been forced to share, forced to re-live with Yami. A memory he didn't need. Pain he didn't deserve... 

No. It had to stop. How many more people would suffer because of this? She had heard the anger of the boy, had felt it. He deserved to be angry. He was right... 

It had to stop. 

Clasping her upraised hands, the cold, hard metal around the ring finger of her left hand jolted her into remembrance, and the silver-jade eyes opened to look at the white-gold magician's ring. The ring that bound her by magic to the Game, to Yami, and to this body. 

Her gaze drifted to the twilight world around her, and there was stinging pain behind her eyes. Instinctively, she raised her hands to the pain, and found sparkling wetness tipping her fingers: Tears. 

There was her answer. The answer that had been flitting in the recesses of her mind - the answer that she had not allowed herself even to consider... 

...and just as she began to consider it, the devastating impact at the back of her head obliterated it again from her mind, and she collapsed into unconsciousness... 

  
* * *   


Téa sat pensively at the small, round table on the sidewalk patio of The Polar Dip Ice Cream Bar, staring at the empty chair across from her where Yugi had just been sitting. Her stomach was still sore, and she didn't know if she'd be able to handle the soda Yugi was getting for her. But from the looks of Yugi, she didn't know if he would be able to handle his, either. 

Maybe she had been wrong, she thought, turning to look through the large, glass window at Yugi, standing despondently at the counter ordering their sodas, his Millennium Puzzle hanging heavily from the chain around his neck. Ever since Yugi had severed himself from the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle, she had never seen him so miserable. It was as though some large part of him had died... 

She sighed, trying to dispel some of the awful feeling of foreboding that had clamped itself around her insides so securely. Maybe she had misunderstood how much the Puzzle had become a part of Yugi. What if they had become so intrinsically linked that the destruction of one meant the destruction of the other...? 

At that moment, there was a very ironic sound of shattering glass loud enough to make Téa jump and spin around in its direction. It took a moment to see exactly what happened since everyone around her had done the same and she had to crane her neck to see around the forest of people. Then she gasped as her sore stomach dropped like a stone... 

Crouched on the ground among the shards of broken soda glasses, Yugi was clutching his side, his face twisted in pain. 

Téa flew to him in an instant. 

"Yugi! What's wrong?" 

"I... I don't know," Yugi winced, pain bright in his eyes. "It... it feels... _terrible._" 

Yugi cried out again, one of his hands moving to clutch at his chest. Téa watched helplessly. Suddenly, there seemed to be a lot more people around them. 

"I... I think it has something to do with Cora," Yugi whispered. He caught Téa's blue eyes with his own. "We... we have to get to the park." 

"The park?" Téa echoed. "How are we going to get there, Yugi? It's too far to walk, and there's no way you could ride your bike like this..." 

As if in answer, Yugi winced again, this time hunching over his other side since he had run out of hands to clutch at the pain. 

"We'll just have to take the subway," he said through clenched teeth. "It's only up the street. Come on - help me up." 

Téa helped Yugi stagger to his feet. Then, with Yugi leaning heavily on Téa, they pushed their way through the sea of staring, confused onlookers, limped down the sidewalk, and descended down into the subway. 

  
* * * 


	10. Chapter 10 Lure

_Okay, I feel guilty about the last short post! I'm sorry! But I couldn't get one more chapter in before FF went down for the count on Friday and Saturday _:(

ButterflyGuitar! Welcome back! I am honoured and touched that you're enjoying the story so much! I hope you will continue to do so! 

And YamiMommy - It's okay... I know you're here in 'spirit' :)

And so... onward... 

Chapter 10 - Lure 

"Somewhere in this darkness  
There's a light that I can't find  
Maybe it's too far away  
Maybe I'm just blind..."  
--Three Doors Down, _When I'm Gone_

  
Although the subway ride from the ice cream bar to the park was only five stops, it seemed to last forever as they roared through the endless maze of underground tunnels below Domino City to the end of the subway line. The pain burning through Yugi's sides and chest subsided slightly for the most part, but at times brutally intensified such that Yugi doubled over, trying to suppress any agonized groans that attempted to work their way out of his mouth. Téa sat beside him, silent and troubled. Her arm had remained protectively around Yugi's shoulders even after they had sat down. 

Yugi winced at another searing influx of pain. "It feels like I'm being tortured," he said tightly. 

Téa looked gravely at him, but said nothing. 

The subway screeched to a halt at the Empire Park subway, and deposited Yugi and Téa on the Northbound platform. They struggled up the long flight of stairs, having to stop halfway as Yugi hunched over another attack of extreme pain that would have sent him tumbling to the bottom had Téa not been supporting most of his weight. 

They emerged from the stairwell into the murky half-light of dusk. The sun had hidden behind the cityscape, pursued by a stormy, black army of angry clouds that blotted out the sky, which would have been moonless. The park was two blocks from the subway station, and they began their slow progress down the narrow sidewalk that ended after one block in favour of a sandy shoulder that hemmed both sides of the cracked asphalt road. Beside them, looming darkly above the trees and bushes surrounding it, was the old Empire Mine headframe. 

The Empire Mine had at one time been an active and prosperous mine in Domino City, mining, for the most part, gold. The Empire Park had been its contribution to the city: a vast, 100-acre expanse of trees and grassy hills and lawns that allowed the people of Domino City a place to picnic, camp and hike right in the heart of the pulsing metropolis. The mine had long since been closed, and the once busy headframe now stood silently as a darkened reminder to the people of the reason the park was there. As they walked past the cold, grey concrete edifice, Yugi slowed his already painfully slow steps. 

"What's the matter?" Téa asked quickly. 

Yugi's violet eyes never left the tall headframe. 

"I... I don't know..." he said slowly. 

"The park is just one more block, Yugi," Téa said briskly, trying to hurry him along. 

Yugi stopped walking. 

"She's there," he said softly. 

Téa stopped, turning to look slowly at the dilapidated, old building. 

"What do you mean?" she whispered, even though she had a nasty feeling that she knew. 

"The headframe. We have to go to the headframe." 

Téa closed her eyes. _I knew it..._

"Yugi, that's private property! We're not allowed in there..." 

"Neither is Cora," he answered. "But she's there." 

"How do you know? I thought you and Yami were... were..." 

Téa trailed off. Yugi just looked at her. 

"I don't know," he answered finally. "I just know she's there..." 

Téa exhaled slowly, pursing her lips. Whether or not Yami was there, Yugi's sixth sense was obviously working just fine. 

"Well, then," she said, "I guess we go to the headframe." 

Taking a quick glance around them to make sure they were indeed the only ones on the road, they scurried through the grassy trench on the side of the road, and ran as quickly as Yugi's unseen injuries would allow to the chained, tall fence that surrounded the Empire Mine property. The fence plainly displayed many large, white signs with red words like: "Private Property - No Trespassing" and "Danger". Téa could make out how old and decrepit the building looked now, and at this point she really wished she had never watched a horror movie. 

The derelict mine stood alone amid the green bushes and trees: a stark monolith against the dying strip of magenta draining out of the western horizon, its worn, grey visage staring bleakly down at them. As they drew closer, the shadows revealed the dusty shards of broken glass rimming the darkened windows. The old building's few windows had been target practice for many neighbourhood kids with rocks until the City had placed the barbed-wire fence around the grounds. Of course, the more persistent of the kids had always managed to find a way into the grounds, and since Tristan and Joey had boasted their technique many times to Yugi and Téa, it was only a matter of moments before they had conquered the fence and stood within its boundaries. More shattered glass peppered the ground around the base of the building. It crunched under their feet as they made their way to the bolted door at the foot of the headframe. 

The headframe itself - the tallest of the few structures remaining on the mine property - had been the housing for the long cables that raised and lowered the cage (and the miners within it) deep into the rocky earth. The cables were long since removed, but the small openings far up the side of the headframe gave proof that they had once been there. And within the concrete walls, the large wheels and gears of the old mechanism were still in place. 

Téa pushed lightly against the door. 

"It's locked," she whispered. "What a surprise." 

Yugi shot her a look, then scanned the flat sides of the concrete building. 

"There's got to be a way...oh! Look!" 

Téa spun in the direction Yugi was pointing to see the bars riveted to the side of the building that ascended to a small, wire basket, which they supposed at one time housed a floodlight, but was now just an empty cage. The ladder was within reaching distance (they hoped) of one of the broken windows. 

"Let me go first," Téa said, and before Yugi could protest, began pulling herself up the rusted bars. 

As she drew alongside the window, she realized it looked a lot farther away from the ladder than it had looked from the ground. And the ground looked... 

"Well? What's the hold-up?" 

The loud whisper came from right below her, and Téa started, almost letting go of the ladder. 

"What are you doing up here?" she hissed at Yugi, who was one rung behind her. 

"We're breaking into the headframe, remember?" 

"I was supposed to go first!" she flared. "You're supposed to be hurt! And would you _not_ use that phrase 'breaking in'? We sound like criminals, or something!" 

"We're supposed to go together. This _is_ criminal - and would you just get a move on before someone sees us?!" 

Téa glowered at him, then flung an arm out, catching the edge of the window. Her nails scraped against the cold, rough edge and some dust flaked down as she found a marginal grip. Then she flung a leg out, catching the window on the bottom edge of the frame, and more flakes of concrete skittered down to the ground that seemed to look very far away. Spread like an 'x' between the ladder and the window, she felt the cold concrete pressed against her cheek, felt it through her damp, sweaty t-shirt, and the evening air gave her back a chill caress. She swallowed hard as she realized she had reached the point of no return - either she would pull herself into the window, or fall. 

Gritting her teeth, she pulled hard with the arm and leg perched on the window frame. A sharp pain sliced across her inner thigh, and she winced, but she continued to drag herself across the concrete wall, her t-shirt catching and pulling on the jagged areas of the weathered, cracked surface, and she managed to pull the other half of her appendages onto the window frame. Careful of the broken glass, she picked her way to the centre of the open window. 

Yugi, meanwhile, was trying to reach across the expanse of concrete to the window frame - which was harder for him, since he was smaller than Téa. Seeing him, Téa shuffled back towards the edge of the window. 

"Here," she said, reaching towards Yugi, "take my hand." 

Yugi reached out with his left hand - and the unseen wound on his left bit sharply into his side. 

Yugi contracted, squeezing his eyes shut against the pain. 

"Yugi! Are you all right...?" Téa's worried whisper floated into his roaring ears. 

"I'm fine," he winced, forcefully straightening out. 

_Did you hear that?_ Yugi told his quivering muscles. _I'm fine..._

Bracing himself, he reached again for Téa's outstretched hand. This time though, thankfully, the pain remained dormant and he grasped her hand tightly, hoping it wouldn't slip out of his hand because of the sweat. Both of them straining and trying not to look down, Yugi imitated Téa and swung his leg over to the window frame, barely catching it with the toe of his running shoe, and hearing the rainfall of gravel skitter down to the bushes below. Téa pulled hard, and Yugi pushed away from the security of the metal bars of the ladder. He grabbed the edge of the window with the fingers of his other hand, and pulled his other foot off of the ladder about halfway to the window. He tried to catch the toe of his running shoe on the flat concrete wall, and the foot slid down about six inches before he stopped it. With Téa's entire weight pulling him towards her, Yugi repelled his foot off of the wall, and brought it to the windowsill to join his other leg. Shaking, heart pounding, and breathing heavily, he finally stood in the window beside Téa. 

"Okay?" Yugi asked. Téa nodded grimly. 

Ducking down under the black bar across the centre of the window, they dropped into the building. 

They landed with a thud on a floor that was coated with a spongy, brownish grey sludge that emanated an unpleasant odour. In fact, as their eyes became adjusted to the more subdued light of the interior of the headframe, they could see that the sludge was everywhere - on the stairs, on the railings, on every inch of ground, like some sort of very repulsive carpet. 

"Phew - it stinks in here," Téa commented from behind her hand, which had risen to cover her mouth and nose. 

"Yeah," Yugi agreed, his nose wrinkling. "You'd think it wouldn't, since there's hardly any windows left." 

"And what's this crud all over the ground?" Téa asked, regarding it with much the same face as Yugi's. 

Yugi shot a sidelong glance at her. 

"What do you think it is, Téa? Just about every pigeon in Domino City lives up there," Yugi indicated the lofty height of the building with his eyes. Téa stared up, then back at Yugi, her expression falling into a horrified disgust. 

"What, you mean...? Awww, _yech!_" 

Téa was doing a kind of high-step, looking ruefully down at her new white cotton shoes. If he hadn't been so upset and suffering so much pain, Yugi would have laughed. As it was, however, Yugi simply looked up the grunge-covered, metal stairs that wound their seemingly endless way to the top of the aged structure. 

"I think," Yugi said wearily, "we have to go up." 

With one last, wretched look at her shoes, Téa once again helped support Yugi as they began the precarious climb to the top of the headframe. 

  
* * * 


	11. Chapter 11 Nemesis

_Well, here's the latest mom-mi-oh sized update! _:) 

_Thank you again, YamiMommy - your constancy is both flattering and encouraging; you have been a very great help to me and I hope the story will continue to meet your expectations with as much reliability..._

  
Chapter 11 - Nemesis 

"You're all by yourself but you're not alone  
You wanted in, now you're here  
Driven by hate, consumed by fear..."  
--Drowning Pool, _Bodies_   


The climb seemed endless. When Yugi and Téa finally mounted the step that levelled onto the topmost floor, they found themselves behind several rotten, old crates that were stacked and strewn around the landing of the metal stairs. They navigated their way through the man-made maze, keeping as close to the wall as possible to remain in shadow, and almost tripping over an old red toolbox sitting open against the wall. The guttural coo of the odd pigeon gurgled overhead, but the lofty room was otherwise strangely void of avian life. 

"Something must have scared them away," Yugi commented in a whisper. 

"Something like _that?_" Téa replied, her whisper considerably more appalled. 

Yugi followed her gaze, and his stomach made a sickening drop back to the bottom of the headframe. 

There was a Spell Circle drawn in the middle of the floor. Enclosed within it was a shimmering silver figure - Cora. But she was not standing upright naturally. She looked to be suspended magically, for her feet hovered above the ground. Her usually regal beauty was twisted and maligned with pain, for protruding from each side, and from the right side of her chest were three ghostly, green swords. Her eyes were blazing with agony and fury at being held this way, and they were riveted on a slender figure that stood outside the circle, facing her. A figure that Yugi recognized - with a sickening lurch of his already collapsed insides - as Bakura. 

The unmistakeable crown of shaggy, blonde hair, which in the muted light looked ethereally blue-white, was the most distinguishing feature they could make out. He was pacing the outside of the circle like a predator, his eyes never leaving the figure inside as he smiled a disquieting sort of smile, silent and devious. As they watched him from the shadows of the crates, however, they noticed something even more disturbing. 

A glint of gold. Gold - where his left eye should have been. 

"God, Yugi," Téa's stunned whisper penetrated his shock, "Yugi, didn't that belong... to Pegasus...?" 

Yugi didn't answer. He knew it belonged to Maximillian Pegasus - still belonged to him, no matter whose eye it now rested in. The Millennium Eye. 

Yugi involuntarily shivered. He could never forget that cold, soulless orb mercilessly piercing his mind, probing it like some sort of psychic rape - stealing his every thought and projecting it to Pegasus for his own personal pleasure... 

And he knew now - with a devastating internal turmoil - that Bakura must have taken it from Pegasus the day they had all left the Duellist Kingdom together. Had probably had it with him on the plane, while Pegasus was left practically in a coma from shock... 

_No... not Bakura_, he reminded himself, redirecting the anger growing and twisting within him, _Samekh..._

"What do we do now?" Téa breathed, snapping him back to the present. 

"_We_ don't do anything," Yugi answered flatly. "I'm doing this alone." 

Téa inserted a pinky finger into her ear and made an exaggerated digging motion. 

"Sorry, but I don't think I heard you right," she said carefully. "I thought you said you were doing this _alone?_" 

"Yes, Téa," Yugi replied, "you heard right." 

"N'uh-uh, I don't _think_ so, buddy..." 

"I'm not going to risk your life, Téa..." 

"Oh, but it's okay to risk _yours?_" 

"Listen," Yugi hissed, "I need you to stay here! If things get really bad, I need you to get help..." 

"'Get help'?," Téa echoed, infuriated, "Get _who_, Yugi?" 

"I don't know!" Yugi snapped back. "The police! The National Guard! Anyone...!" 

"Oh, okay," Téa replied with blatant sarcasm, "I'll just walk up to the first cop I see and say: 'Oh, hello officer. Could you please come help my friend? He's over there trespassing on private property battling an _evil spirit!_'" 

Yugi's face split into a small smile. He placed a gentle hand on Téa's shoulder. 

"You'll think of something," he whispered, looking intently into the fiery, blue eyes. Téa glared defiantly back with surprising stamina, but ended up crouching obediently behind the stack of wooden crates, her arms crossed and her entire demeanour screaming her protest. 

Then a chilling, hoarse voice sent a thousand spiders skittering down their backs. 

"Hello, Yugi. I wondered when you'd finally show up." 

Yugi felt the blood drain from his face. His and Téa's voices had barely gone above breath level. Bakura _couldn't_ have heard them! 

_How did he know he was here...?_

Yugi's mind was turning somersaults, as his focus narrowed to the Millennium Eye set unblinking in Bakura's face. Samekh couldn't have gained that much control over the Millennium Eye, he told himself. He was using the Millennium Ring - using it to control Bakura. He was working magic with Cora. This required too much magic, too much control. He _couldn't..._

"Don't bet on it, Yugi," the chill voice came again. "I may not yet have the prowess that Pegasus had developed, but you forget that I and those of my order _created_ these items. True, being bound in one of them is a rather... _disorienting_ process, as I'm sure Yami could tell you, but" - his face bent into a nasty smile - "I'm sure it will all come back to me very soon. Now, why don't you come out here and let me have a look at you, _old friend_." 

There was a degree of threat to the patronizing request that gave Yugi no small indication that he would be exposed whether he walked out into the open or not. So, not about to risk exposing Téa, Yugi thrust his jaw out and forced his wobbly legs to step out of the protection of the crates into full view, as Téa's pale face retreated into the shadows behind him. 

"So, Samekh," he said tightly, "how many cats did you kill to make that one?" 

He nodded his head towards the Spell Circle enclosing Cora's tortured body. A disturbing, mocking laugh crackled into his ears. 

"Very good, Yugi," Samekh's unnatural hiss slithered from Bakura's lips. "You remember my name. You know, I _thought_ you had probably figured out the circle at the park the other day. I would have dispatched both of you meddling idiots back then, but after your squealing wench began to sound the alarm, I thought better of it. After all, this ignorant wretch's body would do me no good if it was convicted of murder, so... 

"To answer your question, however: no, Yugi. I don't require ingredients of that calibre for this simple Spell Circle - I'm stronger than _that_. A Soul Sucker, though, now that's another matter..." 

"Let Cora go," Yugi tried to sound threatening, even though his voice kept betraying him by shaking and cracking shamefully. 

"Now, why should I do _that_, Yugi?" Samekh's voice crawled over him like so many stampeding bugs. "She's such a fun little acquisition. My very own voodoo doll. Let me demonstrate. _Sefet Akh!_" 

Another glowing soul-sword materialized, reflecting green in Cora's fury-bright eyes for a moment as it hovered around her. Then it swung downwards in a wide arc, slashing into Cora's spine. She screamed, but Yugi couldn't hear it for the sudden blinding and deafening pain that cleaved into his own spine like an axe. Pitching forward, he landed on his hands and knees, with only one thought penetrating the fog of agony as his lifeless Millennium Puzzle swung dully before his downcast eyes: 

_How can I fight magic without magic of my own?_

Yugi felt himself suddenly being lifted from the ground. Fighting uselessly against nothing, his eyes flew to Bakura in time to see him gesturing with one hand in his direction and mouthing words. Then he was moving faster and faster through the air, feeling his hair drag along the roof, seeing the ground whiz by below him... 

Then the wall collided brutally with his back and his head snapped back against it with a crack that resounded through his skull, leaving his ears ringing and scattering stars before his eyes. He expected to fall down, but he found himself being propelled down with alarming speed. The ground impacted hard on his tailbone and a sharp pain shot up from the small of his back to the base of his skull. His jaw slammed shut on his tongue, and he immediately tasted the metallic tang of his own blood in his mouth. 

Bakura - or whatever it was inside him - made a slow, deliberate advance towards him. Yugi sat still, glaring at the dark, unfamiliar eyes in the face of his friend. 

"Where's your magic, little boy?" Bakura's twisted voice echoed through the clouds of dust floating in the darkened room. "Where's your Yami?" 

Yugi tried to will the ringing in his ears to stop as Samekh's words struck home in a way that he could never have known they would. Yes, where _was_ his magic? It was gone - driven away. He had driven it away by his own choice. 

_Oh, Yami,_ he thought despairingly, _I'm sorry. I was so wrong..._

"Come on, child," the quiet snarl resounded hollowly again, "show me what that little puzzle of yours can do. Or maybe" - he added darkly - "_I_ can show _you_." 

Again, Yugi watched in helpless dread as Bakura drew his hands together and slowly apart. A static, dark energy was growing between them. Yugi wanted to close his eyes, but defiantly refused. In desperation, he looked hard into the dark eyes that, somewhere, had to contain Bakura. 

"Bakura," he said, deliberately trying to reach out with his voice, his eyes - trying to touch something in the memory of his friend. The magic between the slender, white hands grew. Yugi could feel it like some throbbing pressure in his ears. 

"Bakura," he pleaded again. 

The hands stopped moving. They seemed to falter. 

A brightness of hope flared in Yugi's heart. Reaching harder with every last fibre of himself, Yugi spoke again - again used his friend's name. 

"Bakura, it's me. Yugi. Please, Bakura, please don't." 

Bakura looked at Yugi, and for a moment, it seemed as though a light went on inside his head, and for a moment, it _was_ Bakura - really Bakura - that looked into Yugi's eyes... 

...then Yugi could see a terrible conflict taking place behind the dark black eyes, something that took so much effort he could see Bakura shake. Slowly, as though some unseen force was against him, Bakura turned and faced the Spell Circle around Cora, then released the dark power between his hands. The black lightening spiderwebbed out and there was the sound of exploding crystal. The invisible walls enclosing Cora vanished, and the many swords piercing her disintegrated like so much shattered glass. 

Cora fell forward into a heap. Yugi felt a grateful smile penetrate his face... 

...then, Bakura's tortured black eyes flew to Yugi, and he whispered: "Run." 

Yugi stood still, as though frozen in place. The smile on his face vanished as he realized the terrible strain so evident in his young friend's face. He was sweating, shaking uncontrollably... 

"Bakura..." Yugi stammered helplessly. 

"Take Cora and run, Yugi," Bakura whispered, his trembling increasing to almost seizure level, "I don't know how much longer I can do this..." 

Yugi blinked. It seemed like his heart was turning itself into lead and was finding it harder and harder to beat. Then Bakura's hoarse scream shook him almost bodily. 

"Damn it, Yugi, just _GO! GO NOW!_" 

Yugi remained motionless for only an instant longer. 

He turned and ran to Cora. He tried to lift her up, over his shoulder, but it was weight - dead weight - and he could not lift her. He heard a heart-wrenching sound behind him, from somewhere around Bakura's vicinity, and - frightened now - he turned in the direction of the sound. 

He saw Bakura stagger backwards, his head bowed down as though he were under horrific stress. Then his head whipped around like a rag doll, his teeth clenched and his skin taut around his face in a ghastly rictus. Bakura was losing... 

"_Bakura!_" Yugi screamed in desperation, "_Bakura, hold on!_" 

But the eyes that turned in answer to him were not Bakura's. 

_He was gone. He was gone._

Yugi's eyes slammed shut against the tears stinging behind them. His friend was gone. _Oh, Bakura..._

But he suspended his remorse, and dragged his mind back to now. Now he was alone. Alone with a shell of Cora, and this... this... _monster_... 

_"Leave him alone!"_

Téa's shrill scream echoed out from the darkness and Yugi's shocked eyes widened as she suddenly swan-dove out of the shadows, landing heavily on Bakura's back and almost knocking him down with the full impact of all of her 98 pounds. She clung to his back like a rabid monkey, clawing at his face until the Millennium Eye was in her hand and she flung it far across the room. Yugi heard glass shatter as it flew through a window. 

But she had sacrificed her handhold, and Bakura, gaining a marginal balance, reached back and grabbed her sweater sleeve. In the borrowed strength of what possessed him, he flung Téa off of his back and threw her to the floor. 

_"Téa!"_ Yugi shouted. 

Téa scrambled frantically, backing away from the darkly threatening Bakura. 

"Téa, get out of here!" Yugi shouted hoarsely. 

"No!" 

"Téa...!" 

"I'm not leaving you here, Yugi - uuuhngh!" 

Dark ropes of magic flew from Bakura's hands, and Téa was abruptly slammed into the floor. She lay flat against it as though some invisible weight was holding her down. 

"Fine," Bakura interjected in a virulent whisper, his face sporting an ugly smile. "Stay. I'll take care of you later." 

Yugi stared, still hanging on to Cora. If he had ever needed his Millennium Puzzle, it was now ... 

...but the resonance of Yami remained dormant, and his puzzle still hung around his neck, as lifeless as Cora. 

_Oh, Yami,_ he thought, _Yami, I know I was wrong. I'm sorry. Please. Cora needs you. Téa needs you..._

Nothing. Yugi squeezed his eyes tighter, reaching, begging, pleading... 

_Yami_, he thought, willing it to reach the magic he knew was there. _Yami please... _I_ need you. I want you back... _

...please help me... 

He could hear whatever-it-was in Bakura's body moving towards him, could hear the sick mockery of Bakura's voice laughing at him. 

"Stupid boy," it said. "Stupid, stupid boy." 

_Yami_, Yugi thought, shutting everything out, clutching Cora like some long-lost teddy bear, _Yami..._

Then, it was there - a ripple, a shiver... 

He felt it: magic. 

It was magic, and his heart leaped, raising a wave of goosebumps across his back and down his arms. Magic. It was magic. It was alive. 

It was Yami... 

Behind his eyelids, he was aware of the glow, knew his puzzle was glowing, pulsing to life with the power he had thought he would never feel again, had thought he never wanted to feel again. And, for something he thought he never wanted, it flooded him with immeasurable joy... 

_Yami!_

The power filled him, raised him, and he welcomed it, allowing it to take over as he smiled through the tears that stood in his eyes. He lifted Cora up off of the ground, cradling her as he had done it seemed eons ago at the last New Moon... 

He looked through Yami's eyes at Bakura's face, and saw only an enemy - a sorcerer who had wanted nothing but his death. His death, and Cora's death... 

But then Yugi took hold of the raging tempest of Yami. _My friend is still in there..._

And Yami answered him: _I know - I will remember... _

...but now, we must fight Samekh. As a wizard. 

Moving two steps back out of the destroyed Spell Circle, Yugi watched through the eyes of Yami, which never left Samekh's eyes in the fury-twisted face of Bakura. He placed Cora gently out of its confines, and turned to face fully the enemy of them both. 

Yugi then felt Yami's thought filter through his mind. 

_Brace yourself_, he warned gently, _this will hurt... _

I don't care, he answered with all of his heart. 

Then he saw words, felt them rise up into his mind - words he didn't know, didn't understand, but were a part of him now. 

"_Petekh!_" he commanded. 

Yugi felt the magic - Yami's power - boiling up inside of him, thundering through his arms and exploding out of his hands like a living waterfall. There was pain, then searing cold heat as it streamed out of his hands in electric liquid light. He could feel it strike Samekh, and he controlled it, pushing harder, then felt the impact through it like a conduit as Samekh was thrown against the far wall. 

But then every pain he had felt earlier roared through him all at once. The sudden intensity of it overpowered him. Yugi's entire body buckled, and he fell to his knees. 

"What... _is this?_" he whispered aloud. 

The answer came in a pain-riddled cloud of thought from Yami. 

_It's Cora_, it said, _Cora's wounds..._

"Well, well, well," the snakelike hiss of a voice penetrated the pain, "it seems that your little host has no idea of the amount of power you need to use to make magic." 

Yami glared at Samekh with Yugi's violet eyes. 

"But then," Samekh sneered on, "some of us use our power to keep others alive. That makes a really interesting bond, doesn't it Yami? You forget, I know the bond you and that witch share. I've seen you use it against me. And now, I will use it to my advantage. 

"I seem to remember" - Samekh continued as his black eyes dropped to Yami's right arm with a nasty grin - "another wound that the both of you share. This should provide some especially exquisite pain." 

_No_, both Yugi and Yami thought desperately, _not the old shadow wound..._   


* * * 


	12. Chapter 12 Interpolation

_Here is a little blurb, affectionately known as Chapter 12. Definitely *not* mom-mi-oh - sized... _;)

Not sure about McDonald's, YamiMommy. But, hey, you never know 'til you try! Thank you for the enthusiasm. Hold on, and enjoy the ride!  
P.S. - I'm having a little trouble sending you e-mail, girl. I keep getting Delivery Failures. Better check with your ISP - maybe that hoax made you delete something you need for mail...? Get back to me as soon as you can. Bequest is waiting... :) 

  
Chapter 12 - Interpolation 

"And ride with us young bonny lass  
With the angels of the night..."  
--Jethro Tull, _Cold Wind to Valhalla_   


_What, I can move...?_

Téa wiggled a finger, then raised her hand. 

_I can move..._ she thought again, confused. _Why...?_

Slowly, she raised her head, then sat up. 

_Why isn't he stopping me...?_

She had been watching with horrified eyes the struggle between Yugi and Bakura. (But, she supposed, it wasn't Yugi and Bakura anymore, was it?) Either way, she had felt like she had been shrink-wrapped to the floor, but when Yugi had once more created his lightening and had thrown Bakura into the wall, suddenly she could move... 

Then a flash of memory flew into recall. 

_The last New Moon, Yugi had flung lightening from his hands. He had banished a Soul Sucker, and then through some magic she didn't understand, brought Cora to life when she should have been dead... _

...but when he had looked up at them, he was weak and trembling. He was in terrible pain, and had passed out... 

That's it! Téa realized with a jolt. _Magic uses power. And whoever-it-is inside Bakura is using power. He's using power to fight Yugi, to hurt Cora, and to keep Bakura under his control... _

...and he doesn't have enough power to keep me on the floor, too... 

I can escape, she thought, _I can escape now... huh?_

What did Bakura say? 

He had said something. He was standing up now, and Yugi was on the floor. She saw him calling on his magic, and this time she heard the words: 

_"Sefet Akh!"_

The words made her shiver, and she felt a strange energy seem to collect itself in the room. She recoiled, staring all around her, waiting for something terrible to happen, and hating this force that was turning Bakura, who had always been so sweet, into this... this... 

Her thoughts ground to a halt as she saw a green glow suddenly shimmering over Cora - a glow that turned into a ghostly sword... 

Téa's insides froze. She didn't understand a lot about what was happening here, but she knew one thing: that Cora and Yami were linked. And Yami and Yugi were linked... 

_He's trying to hurt Yugi through Cora..._

As the realization struck her, Téa's reaction was instantaneous. Without thought, without reservation, Téa leaped up off of the floor, and for the second time, dove through the air and flung herself over Cora just as the ghost sword came swinging downward. 

The pain was like nothing she had ever experienced. It felt as though someone had jammed a syringe full of liquid nitrogen into her shoulder. The sword made no visible wound, but she could see it penetrate her, and the pain and the cold shook her to her heart. 

_This is it_, she thought vaguely as her nerves numbed over and everything began to grey out, _I'm dying..._

  
* * * 


	13. Chapter 13 Game

_All right, now - A longer blurb this time! _

Thank you, ButterflyGuitar! (I thought I *was* an author... ? ;)_ ) Career author would be cool... *sigh* - I'm trying!! _

And off we go... 

Chapter 13 - Game 

"Who will go down to those shady groves  
And summon the shadows there..."  
--Loreena McKennitt, _The Mummer's Dance_   


_I... we have to summon, Yugi. We can't withstand a direct attack..._

Yami's thought was a blur to Yugi as he rallied against the pain screaming through wounds he could not see. He pushed himself up from the floor, squinted up at Bakura, and followed the night-black eyes. But they were not looking at him... 

_Wait_, he thought, _I don't think he's attacking _us... 

Then he caught the movement to his left and whirled around in time to see Téa recklessly intercept the soul-sword that Samekh had intended for Cora-saw it swing down and impale itself into her shoulder at the base of her neck. 

_"TÉA!"_

Yami felt Yugi's anguish-filled scream thunder through his heart, sparking an anger more potent than any he could remember. _Samekh_, he thought, glaring lethally through Yugi's eyes at the nemesis before him, _you will pay for this..._

Samekh's furious stare fell balefully on Téa, hunched over Cora with the Soul Sword embedded in her shoulder. 

"Well, Yugi, it looks like I'm taking care of your annoying little friend sooner than I thought," Samekh growled through Bakura's lips. "How about I just finish the job?" 

Bakura's hands drew together, and the black, static energy sparked between them. "_Seki!_" he shrieked, flinging the power towards Téa. 

Fuelled by the rage of two souls, Yami dragged Yugi's body to its feet, ignoring the pain slicing through him like hot knives as he rose. Once more, Yami's words burned across Yugi's mind. 

"_A'nen_," he cried them out, "_Ryu-Kishin!_" 

Yugi felt a tug from somewhere deep inside him, as though something was pulling on an invisible rope. Then, like a deadly flower, a massive, red gargoyle-like creature with sharp, pointed teeth bloomed out of the ground in front of him. Leaping upwards, it flung itself in front of the black power streaming towards Téa. The sound of the power striking its heart was drowned out by its scream as it absorbed the full impact of the fatal spell, and exploded into sawdust. 

The tug inside Yugi backfired sharply at the destruction, sending the air rushing out of his lungs and Yugi doubled over as though he had just been punched in the stomach. There was a ripple of concern from Yami, but Yugi vehemently pushed it down 

_I can do this_, he snarled both to himself and to Yami, as he drew his protesting body upright. _I can do this..._

Samekh's eyes flew to Yugi. 

"I see I'm going to have to attend you first. Good idea, Yami," Samekh sneered. "Let's play. Bring back old times, eh? Didn't your little host at one time _play_ with this miserable, pathetic little brat? _Didn't he? A'nen_, Dark Warrior of Fiend!" 

"_A'nen_," Yugi cried out in defiant response, "Shadow Ghoul!" 

As a many-eyed green monster exploded into existence before Yugi, Samekh's shrill cry keened over the thunder of its nascence. 

"Attack!" it commanded. 

_Too soon! Our Shadow Ghoul won't stand the attack, Yugi!_ Yami's thought erupted into Yugi's consciousness. _Strengthen...!_

The word to strengthen was Yugi's as soon as Yami conceived it, and by the time his monster had fully emerged into terrifying substance, Yugi had cried: "_Nekhet!_", and the full power of magic alone surrounded his Shadow Ghoul like a shield. Samekh's attack exploded around it in futile pyrotechnics. 

But Yugi learned very quickly that it was easier to summon a stronger monster than it was to strengthen a weaker one with his magic, for although his monster withstood the attack of the Dark Warrior, every one of Cora's shadow-wounds roared pain through his body at the impact, and he felt as though he had lost a piece of himself. 

_Yugi..._

Yugi forced his body to straighten out of the ball it had become. _Just... never mind... _

It's your body, Yugi... the stress... 

I said never mind my body! I can handle it...! 

Yami's warnings sank into troubled silence. Yugi glared up at Samekh. Samekh, eyes blazing with hatred at his attack being thwarted, drew his hands together, summoning a reckless power. 

"_Seseh!_" he screamed. 

The entire building shook, and Samekh's own monster was abruptly engulfed in a blinding sphere of blue-white fire, destroying it in an instant. But the destruction did not stop with Samekh's creature. In fact, the Dark Warrior seemed to feed the fireball, and it expanded and grew until it had engulfed the Shadow Ghoul as well. There was a resounding death cry that rose above the thundering flames. Only then did the fireball finally dissipate. 

Blinking in the absence of the glaring fire, Yugi waited for his eyes to readjust to the dark. He didn't need to see, however, to know that his monster was gone. The feeling that he had just been tackled was enough to announce its demise. That, and the sharp stabs of pain coming from the wounds that Cora bore. 

"Look at yourself," Samekh sneered from the opposite side of the room. "Is it worth it, Yami? Is it worth sapping half your strength to keep that little witch of yours alive? You know," - Samekh adopted a silky timbre - "you should really give this whole thing up. I don't think you've got it in you anymore." 

Yami pulled Yugi's posture upright once more. "I took you down once, Samekh," Yami resonated his response through the room. "I _will_ take you down again." 

"Luck, Yami," Samekh's snakelike hiss came in reply. "You don't stand a chance against me now. This time, I think, _you_ will be going down. You and that pathetic wench of yours." 

"Try it," Yami threatened. 

"Oh, I will do more than _try_, Yami," Samekh smiled wickedly. "Much, much more." 

  
* * * 


	14. Chapter 14 Cora

_And now for another of my evil short updates!! _

(Just when you thought it was safe... >:^) _ ) _

Thank you ButterflyGuitar! And YamiMommy! You two are gonna make me blush... :)

And now... showtime... 

  
Chapter 14 - Cora 

"Her eyes were Cobalt red  
Her voice was Cobalt blue  
I see no purple light crashing out of you  
So just walk on in..."  
--The Sisters of Mercy, _Ribbons_   


Téa waited for the grey mist that had settled in around her to turn into a black out, but it never seemed to get any further than a grey mist. She began a gradual ascent into lucidity, which was fine except for that now, she was back to feeling the crippling pain and soul-numbing cold. She pushed herself off of Cora and sat upright, trying to stop the violent shaking that had suddenly taken hold of her; she knew enough about first aid to realize that she was going into shock. 

_If that sword didn't kill me_, she thought, _this shock will..._

"Téa." 

The voice that spoke her name just then didn't sound like it belonged on earth. It was musical, magical. It was Cora. 

Téa's insides dissolved at the sound, and she slowly turned to face the being that she had braved this sword to protect. 

The eyes struck her first. No pupils - only a jade green iris dusted with a sheen of silver frost. They looked at her from beneath a sun-drenched waterfall of shining, silver hair that caught any light and sent it spinning off into rainbows of colour. Her skin was the colour of pearls, and seemed to have a perpetual glow. 

_No wonder Yami loves her_, Téa thought despairingly, _I'll bet she's never had a pimple in her life..._

"Come here," the crystal voice commanded. 

Obediently, Téa moved towards her, forgetting for the moment how weak and injured she was as she was caught up in the uncanny beauty of this Queen of Hearts. Cora looked to Téa like something beautiful and enchanted, something pulled from the pages of a fairy tale, a glittering Snow Queen that any child would follow... 

But the longer she looked into the frosty green eyes, the more she became aware of a ... distance - an inhuman coldness - that marked Cora different from herself, Yugi, or even Yami. She remembered Professor Snow saying once that the ancient Egyptians didn't trust the Shadow Spirits, and though at the time she had wondered why, she understood now. Cora was a spirit: bodiless and unfettered, chained by a body that didn't belong, coming from a world where words like 'warmth' and 'friendship' were as alien as love. Téa knew then that Cora loved only because of her bond to Yami, and that her bonds to the Game and to justice were only by magic, and that, though she may love Yami in return, her love for this world went no further. 

Apprehensive now, Téa stopped her advance. But by now, she was close enough to touch the prone Queen of Hearts, who just then pushed herself up into a sitting position, and placed both of her delicate hands gently against the ghost sword protruding from her shoulder. She bowed her head and whispered softly: "_Mena._" 

Téa felt a surge of power melt the sword in her arm down like hot wax. The sword shimmered, and Téa watched it lose substance and dissolve before her eyes. The dry-ice cold immediately lifted, and she began to feel warmer. 

Téa's vivid blue eyes blinked into Cora's silver-jade, her mouth hanging open like an unhinged screen door. 

"Th-thanks," she finally stammered, regaining control of her jaw. 

Cora said nothing at first, her steady, silver-green gaze boring through Téa like a spear. 

"You care for your friend," she finally stated. 

Téa didn't know what to say in reply to this, and so remained silent. 

"I know you certainly don't care for me," Cora went on, a cold and measuring half-smile on her face. 

"H-how do you mean?" Téa's reply came quickly this time - too quickly. She tried to place her eyes anywhere but at the frosty stare of the Queen of Hearts, and they ended up landing on the battling Yugi and Bakura. Téa gasped softly. Yugi looked so tired... like he was in so much pain... 

"Samekh could not keep you bound," Cora's cold observation interrupted Téa's thoughts. Téa started, and turned to Cora. She was still watching her steadily with those intense eyes. Téa wished she'd stop - it made her uncomfortable. 

"That's his name?" Téa asked, giving voice to the anger and fear she felt so strongly against all of these shadow-spirits. "Samekh? The thing that's inside Bakura?" 

"He is no thing," Cora replied. "He is a wizard. Like Yami is a wizard. But Samekh wields Dark Magic, while Yami wields Light." 

_It's all dark_, Téa thought viciously, glaring back at the twisted, evil Bakura. 

"Magic is magic," Cora said softly. "It is power. Power that can be used for good, or for evil. Yami has chosen long ago to use his power for good, whatever the cost." 

Téa shot a look back at Cora. _I didn't say anything_, she thought. Cora had answered her thoughts. Just as she had read her own feelings of mistrust against her. 

"It's a gift," Cora smiled grimly, once again reading her like an open book. Téa conjured up a frosty look of her own, which she flung at Cora. She didn't like the thought of being on display to this cold, distant spirit-girl. 

"Why couldn't Bakura hold me?" Téa asked abruptly. 

Cora's eyes moved to Yugi and Bakura. 

"He's always hated Yami. His hatred makes him foolish. He's wasting his power, and he's growing weaker because of it." 

Cora's green eyes were suddenly regarding Yugi with a fierce pride. "He was never as strong as Yami," she said. 

It was then that Téa realized that Cora's spirit eyes didn't see Yugi fighting there at all. She saw Yami. And he fought this Samekh, not Bakura. 

"Yugi's there too," Téa reminded her defensively. "He's strong. And brave." 

Cora turned to Téa and regarded her approvingly. "Yes," she agreed, "he is." 

"In fact," she continued, her voice taking on a cold sharpness, "the only thing that is weakening Yami and Yugi right now... is me." 

  
* * * 


	15. Chapter 15 Appeal

_Back with more! And this one is *definitely* mom-mi-oh sized! Beat that, McDonalds! _

Thank you, YamiMommy! Yes, Téa lives. But for how long...? 

...read on and find out ;) 

  
Chapter 15 - Appeal 

"Love of two is one  
Here but now they're gone  
Came the last night of sadness  
And it was clear she couldn't go on..."  
--Blue Oyster Cult, _Don't Fear The Reaper_   


Téa didn't like the note she detected in Cora's voice - it sounded even more frigid than before, and an unpleasant crawling sensation began to make its way across Téa's skin. 

"What are you saying?" she asked. 

"Yami and I are bound together," Cora replied. "He feels me as I feel him, but" - Cora's green eyes narrowed - "he feels me more acutely because he is the conjurer. Samekh knows this. 

"When Samekh took me captive, he strengthened my bond with Yami with his Millennium Ring. All of these wounds I now have are as painful to Yami as though they are piercing him. And they are shadow wounds, so they are draining his power." 

Téa wondered at this. She could see no wounds on the elegant body of Cora, but she had seen the swords that had pierced her earlier. And she could still feel a twinge of pain in her own shoulder where the Soul Sword had been. 

"Why are you telling me this?" Téa asked, discomfort wrapping itself around her stomach. Cora's jade eyes bored into Téa's. 

"Because," she said evenly, "I need you to break that bond." 

When Téa finally found a voice to reply, it was considerably smaller than the one she had been using. 

"I don't think so," she said shakily. 

Cora only looked at her, but its volume was deafening. 

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Téa whispered. "I know you're linked to Yami. Even if I could break that link, why would I do that to him? He brought you here for a reason he thought was important, and you think I'll just let you go...?" 

"He conjured me to bring justice to the Game," Cora interrupted. "We have long since bound ourselves to this task by our own words and our own love. It is my love and my word that holds me to the Game now, not his magic. I no longer need this bond and it only weakens us both." 

Téa's hands were cold and damp as she wrung them together. 

"Why should I believe you?" 

"Would you break a bond of love? Of friendship?" 

Téa looked at her hands, remembering a mark that had long ago been washed away, but was still there in her heart. 

"You're not human," she replied uncertainly. "How do you know your love will still be there without your bond to Yami...?" 

"I am a Queen," Cora answered darkly. "I am honour-bound to keep my own word." 

Téa turned away, and found herself looking at Yugi again: hunched over his stomach, breathing heavily, as though he had been wrestling the monsters himself... 

"Okay, if I were - and I said _if_ I were - to believe you," Téa replied haltingly, "how am I supposed to break a spell? I don't know anything about magic..." 

Cora held up one slender, white hand. There was a shining silver band on the ring finger. 

"This ring is the element of Yami's spell that binds," she said evenly. "Break this ring and the spell is broken." 

Téa stared at the ring for a long moment. Then she looked back at Yugi. She thought that maybe the injury in her shoulder was acting up again, because she suddenly felt very cold. 

"Why do you want out of this so much, anyway?" Téa asked harshly. "What about Yami? I thought you loved him?" 

"It is _because_ I love him that I want to break this bond!" Cora snapped back. "Can't you see that, Téa? Look at your friend! I know that you can see him suffer! And Yami suffers the same way! All because of what Samekh has done to _me!_ And should he decide to hurt us both..." 

"All right! All right!" Téa was feeling sick with indecision. On the one hand, she could see Yugi's pain - see him clutching his body exactly where the swords had pierced Cora. On the other hand... 

"How do I know you're being honest?" she said finally, looking into the cold, unusual eyes. "I don't know who you are! All we know about you is from some legend we heard from an old Professor! How do I know this won't kill Yugi - I mean, Yami?" 

Cora met the tumultuous blue eyes, and for the first time, Téa saw a hint of softness lightly brush the icy cold in that gaze. 

"You don't," Cora said softly. "You can only trust me." 

Téa blinked, unable to break the hold the silver-green eyes had on her own, her mind struggling with that one word: Trust. 

Trust a Shadow Realm spirit. Something the Ancient Egyptians had never done. And yet... 

...Yami had trusted her... 

...and in spite of her own misgivings, Yugi had trusted her. Was risking his life for her... 

Téa grabbed Cora's hand - it was soft, and surprisingly warm - and pulled the ring off of the slender finger. She looked at it - small, round and silver, the ring's surface was smooth and unmarked except for a small symbol engraved on the inner side. It was disappointingly inconspicuous, for a ring that was supposed to be the key element in a powerful spell. 

Gripping it in her hand, she looked at Cora. 

"I hope," she said through clenched teeth, "you're telling me the truth. If you're not, I swear I'll..." 

Her empty threat disintegrated, as a huge explosion of light and sound enveloped the battleground of Yugi and Bakura. In the sudden light, she scrambled to the edge of the room to the wall where the old toolbox had been resting. 

The toolbox was still red in colour, its glossy coat of paint protecting it from the rust that had attacked most of the other exposed metal in the dank building. The tools inside it were also surprisingly rust-free, as though someone had been in the mine since it had been closed at some point and had forgotten the tools when they left. Téa crawled up to the box and frantically began searching for something that might be able to cut through a gold ring. 

_Screwdriver, wrench, pliers - no, no, no - ah-ha!_

Her eyes fell on a hacksaw. Picking up the handle, she drew the long, slender blade over the smooth surface of the ring. 

_Ouch! Damn!_ The saw slipped off the edge of the ring and glanced off of her thumb. 

She tried again. Again, the blade slipped, this time biting its sharp teeth into her knuckles. Small dots of blood welled up on the surface of her skin. She flung the saw aside in disgust. 

_Stupid, useless piece of junk!_

Then she saw the pair of bolt cutters. 

Lifting them out of the box, she regarded the tool designed to cut through round bolts of steel... 

...and quickly, before she could change her mind, she closed them around the ring, and squeezed with all her might. 

A strange sensation began to conduct itself from the cutters into her hands. It was something like an electric hum that shivered its way through her fingertips, down her arms, and spread itself across her chest, and she wondered if this was what Yugi felt when Yami's magic worked through him because it was heat, it was alive, it was burning and it was really starting to _hurt_, and she didn't know how much longer she could keep doing this, and she tried to push harder and harder and damn you stupid thing, just _CUT..._

_Snap._

There was an almost tangible vibration in the air as the band of white gold finally gave in to the pressure of the cutters against it. Téa heard a sharp _ping_ as it struck the ground, and the prickly hot power that had spread itself through her was abruptly gone. Wide-eyed, she looked around, afraid now of the shivering magic that had seemed to leave her and infuse the air. Now that it was too late, she wondered whether she had indeed done the right thing, but when her eyes fell on Cora, any pillar of reassurance she had hoped to find there collapsed. 

As she watched, the body of Cora that lay shimmering on the ground suddenly evaporated into a cloud of silver mist. 

Then the spirit of Cora - the Queen of Hearts, the Queen of Shadows - rose over Téa like a billowing cloud. Massive and shining, her green eyes blazed into Téa's, and she saw that they looked feral, now - wild, untamed and cold. 

A devastating mix of terror and guilt gripped Téa's heart. With the spell broken, Cora was no longer bound to Yami - she had become spirit again. 

_She's lost the humanity that Yami gave her,_ she thought despairingly. _She's just a faery spirit, now. How can she feel... anything...?_

Téa could see Cora's wounds, now - could see that they were bleeding silver blood, and for a fleeting second she wondered if her own spirit was bleeding like that where the Soul Sword had struck her. Then the icicle voice glittered into her mind. 

_Do not fear me, Téa. Look - Yami grows stronger, now..._

And she was right. 

Yugi stood more upright, and there was a dawning on his face as though he had just realized that there was no more pain. Then, she saw the serene half-smile she had seen so many times before when Yugi was duelling. Her heart began a helium-filled rise as she heard the strong voice ring out with overwhelming confidence: 

_"A'nen,"_ it cried, _"Dark Magician!"_

  
* * * 


	16. Chapter 16 Resistance

_Finally a bit of time to post! So, here is Chapter 16... _

Note: In this chapter, there is a bit more 'mom-mi-oh yu-gi-oh'. Remember, in 'The Queen of Hearts', Yami was *not* the Pharoah. The Pharoah was an old man, and Yami was High Magician - both respected and trusted by the old Pharoah. This chapter makes a brief reference to that part of the story... 

  
Chapter 16 - Resistance 

"Roaming through this darkness  
I'm alive but I'm alone  
Part of me is fighting this  
But part of me is gone..."  
--Three Doors Down, _When I'm Gone_

  
Yugi didn't know how it happened, but one minute, he was fighting to remain standing for the crippling pain gnawing through his unseen wounds, and the next it was as though he had never hurt at all; all the agony and the pain lifted from him like a heavy and very unpleasant cloak, and he was wholly himself - energetic and alive. 

Yami, however, knew exactly what had happened. 

_Cora - she... she's gone. The spell - _my_ spell - is broken...!_

The intensity of Yami's emotion - always so much more passionate than his own - flooded Yugi; Yami was upset, worried, even angry... 

...but, as usual, Yugi's serenity counterbalanced the fervour of the fiery young mage... 

_We can't! Not now, Yami...!_

_No_, came the reluctant response, _you're right... not now..._

...and the fury of the mage was directed, focused against the assailant before him, and he cried out what his new strength finally allowed: 

"_A'nen_, Dark Magician!" 

As the dark-cloaked mage blossomed out of the ground in front of Yugi, Samekh's shrill summon produced its own deadly flower. 

"_A'nen_, Black Dragon!" 

Like a cresting wave, the massive, coal-black dragon reared its head in a serpentine arc, directing its ember-red eyes at the Dark Magician. Samekh's crooked smile disrupted Bakura's face. 

"Well, this should be an interesting match, old friend," Samekh cooed. "These monsters are evenly matched. I suppose it's up to you and me. 'The strength of the conjurer determines the strength of the summoned monster, even above its own strength', right, Yami? The Mandates of the Game - your laws, I believe? You and that decrepit excuse for a ruler they called 'Pharoah'." 

Yami's dark confidence constructed a return smile from Yugi. 

"Yes, I did write it. In fact, I myself made that particular law. I'm flattered you can quote it, Samekh. What a mind." 

The sarcasm was not lost on Samekh, who flushed purple in rage. 

"But you have, as usual, forgotten one key element here that makes my strength the greater. Can you guess what that is, Samekh?" 

"Oh, pray, tell." Both Samekh's fists were clenched, his teeth bared. 

"It is that I," Yami said silkily, "have a _willing_ host." 

The left side of Bakura's face twitched. "I think you underestimate my power, Yami." 

Yami's smile became infinitely more glacial. "I never have before," he replied. 

Something inside Samekh seemed to snap. He made a feral sort of sound in his throat, then screamed hysterically: "Attack!" 

"Attack!" Yami cried, at the same moment. 

The staff the Dark Magician held began to crackle with an unseen energy, but as the Black Dragon drew breath for attack, another scream spewed from Bakura's mouth. 

_"Nekhet!" _

He's strengthening...! 

The dragon spat it's red-gold fire from deep in its throat, and an extra surge of brightness met it in the air... 

The Dark Magician aimed at the giant fireball, and the end of his staff exploded with purple brilliance... 

_"Nekhet!"_

Yami's voice screamed its own spell, and the purple fire expanded with the force of it... 

...then the air was shimmering with silver magic... 

_Cora...!_

She was around them, over them, surrounding them like a blanket. Yugi could feel her presence, alive and strong, and he felt Yami's love for her surge through him like a living thing. She stood over them both, pointing with one delicate hand as her voice sounded as one with Yami's... 

_"Nekhet!"_

...and her spell sparkled life around the purple flare of the Dark Magician's attack, and both attacks met with devastating force... 

...but the purple fire engulfed the red-gold flame and grew and grew until the Black Dragon itself shrieked its death cry and was consumed in purple light. 

Samekh dropped, screaming, to his knees, and Yami's own fire sparked and burned its fury alive into Yugi's heart, and Yugi felt the tempest of it like boiling lava... 

_So now_, they thought as one, _finish it..._

"Dark Magician..." he began 

But then the aspect of Bakura's face changed. He blinked and looked around, as though he didn't really know where he was, and the black eyes suddenly revealed a mounting terror. 

"Yugi," he cried out. "Yugi, what's happening to me?" 

Yami froze. 

_Oh, God,_ Yugi's stomach spiralled downward, _Bakura..._

"_Kheti._" Yugi finished in a stunned whisper, and the Dark Magician withdrew in a cloud of purple mist. 

"I can't control it, Yugi," Bakura cried again, "I never could. Please help me...!" 

_...please help me..._

The words he had heard in his dream-vision of a week ago echoed back to him. _It was Bakura - asking for help..._

The black eyes changed again. A twisted smile appeared, distorting the delicate features of Bakura's face. 

"Just remember whose body I'm using, little Yugi," Samekh hissed. "I could make your little friend appear any time I want!" 

"Coward!" Yami thundered in fury. "Let him go!" 

"I don't think so, Yami. You'd be amazed at how ruthless a couple of Millennia trapped in a ring can make you." 

"I don't see much of a change," Yami retorted savagely. 

  
* * *   


Blurred images... light... darkness... 

_Power... so much power... so much pain..._

A flash panorama played back through his brain: senseless... disturbing... 

_...a woman - a spirit - more beautiful than anything he had ever seen - but he was stabbing her over and over again... _

... he was creating power between his hands: cold... burning, searing cold... 

...he was standing in front of Yugi - he thought he had called out to him - but he couldn't remember now... 

Awareness. The barest shred of conscious thought. 

It was one tiny glimmer of himself, but he grasped it like a lifeline and hung on to it. _Mine. My thought..._

Using the thought as leverage - pulled himself further, further out of the black lake of oblivion swirling around his senses. 

_Being controlled... again... _

Have to stop this... have to... 

He swam through this inky lake, trying to find his mouth, trying to find his eyes. He turned the mental volume up full blast: 

_HEY_, he screamed, _HEY! GIVE... BACK... MY..._ BODY!! 

  
* * * 


	17. Chapter 17 Reclaim

_Here is the second-last chapter of Shadow Reign. I felt I'd better mention this, because at the end of it, I have a funny feeling that some might think that the story is over, but it's *not* - there is one more chapter!! _

I would like to thank lilandriss for the review! I hope the remaining two parts will generate as much enthusiasm! 

So, let us re-enter... 

Chapter 17 - Reclaim 

"Head like a hole  
Black as your soul  
I'd rather die  
Than give you control..."  
--Nine Inch Nails, _Head Like a Hole_   


_"Impudent whelp!"_

It was a frustrated exclamation, directed (it seemed) at no one, but Yugi was watching the dark eyes, and he saw them shift again. 

_Bakura... it was Bakura..._

Bakura looked all around him, wide-eyed, like someone who had just woken up from a nightmare. Then his eyes fixed on the wall behind Yugi, and he abruptly began to run, pushing roughly past his stunned friend. Frantic, scrambling, Bakura hauled himself up the metal ladder behind Yugi and disappeared onto the roof. 

"WAIT!" Yugi screamed after him. 

Leaping into motion, Yugi jumped up onto the third rung of the ladder. His foot slipped on the slimy coating of gunk topping each rung, and his shin struck hard against the round metal. Ignoring the shooting pain, Yugi regained his footing and pulled himself up, rung after rung, until he too emerged onto the roof, looking wildly around for Bakura. 

Bakura was poised on the very edge of the headframe, staring down the long, flat concrete wall to the bushes below. As Yugi emerged, he looked sharply up at him. 

"Yami!" Bakura shouted, taking a few steps towards him and imploring the spirit of the wizard that shared Yugi's soul, "Yami - just kill me now! Banish me to the Shadow Realm! Do it! Do it _now!!_" 

"No!" Yugi screamed. Bakura's eyes blazed with fury. 

"For God's _sake_, Yugi!" he snapped in exasperation. "You didn't listen to me the last time. _Please_ listen to me this time! Just _let him do it!_ Let Yami banish me! I know he can..." 

_He wants to sacrifice himself, Yugi,_ Yami's thought surfaced on the turmoil in Yugi's mind. _It's a noble act..._

_Not in _my_ world it isn't_, Yugi thought back savagely, then screamed in defiance. 

_"I'm not going to kill you!"_

Bakura had once more begun to shake violently, and he staggered backwards. His blonde hair, drenched with his own sweat, was plastered against his pallid face. 

"Damn it, Yugi, can't you see how hard this is?" Bakura cried out in anguish, suffering so plain in his glazed eyes. 

"All I see," Yugi slammed back, "is that _you're_ the one who's got control right now!!" 

Bakura just stared at Yugi in stark disbelief. Yugi ignored the look, continued to tear into Bakura. 

"You've done it twice so far!" he cried, "And every time it lasts longer!" 

Bakura faltered, his eyes a battlefield of mixed emotion. 

"There's a reason you've got the Millennium Ring, Bakura!" Yugi stormed on, "it's because _you_ can _fight back!_" 

Yugi saw the spark of hope ignite behind the despairing eyes only a fractional moment before the blonde head snapped back and Bakura staggered backwards two more steps. 

_His eyes... his eyes..._

_"BAKURA!"_ Yugi's scream tore out of his heart. 

"I think your friend is right," Samekh hissed, "he _should_ die. But not before I take care of _you!!_" 

Then there was an explosion of silver light in between them, and Cora rose, unfolding like a morning glory, until she looked bigger than the sky and brighter than the sun. Startled, Samekh stumbled backwards - one step too many... 

One foot landed on empty air, and he teetered precariously for precious seconds on the edge of the 200-foot headframe. 

"NO!" Yugi screamed again as Bakura dropped off the side. 

Leaping forward, Yugi took a running dive through the air. He landed hard on the ground, slid the extra two feet to the very edge of the roof of the headframe where Bakura had fallen, and flung his arms over the side. Yami's word burst out of his mouth almost before he knew what it was. 

"_Sepeh!_" he shouted. 

Again, the flood of power thundered through him, and exploded in burning ropes of white light through his hands. Reaching, aiming, he guided them where Bakura had fallen, and Yugi used every last ounce of his strength to push them farther and faster, his heart pounding frantically, fighting the terrible despair that kept trying to blind him with tears. 

_It's all right, Yugi, we have him..._

_Oh, thank God_, Yugi almost collapsed with relief, _thank God..._

...but now what...? 

_I... can't lift him... _

Lower him. 

Slowly, slowly Yugi lowered Bakura downwards until he knew he had laid him gently on the ground. 

Then, like lightening from a towering thunderhead, Cora pointed a slender hand and commanded _"Wesef!"_, and the brightness of her power flashed in a zigzag of light and struck the struggling Bakura. In an instant, he went rigid and collapsed. 

Yugi closed his eyes, knowing from Yami's soul that Cora had only stunned Bakura, and he finally allowed himself one moment to relax... 

...while Yami opened his eyes, and directed them upwards to the shimmering, silver spirit-Queen that had been Cora... 

  
* * *   


Téa's eyes were blurred before she reminded herself to blink. It was about the same time she thought that maybe her heart had started beating again. It was easy to hear her heart on that rooftop that had suddenly become as silent as an Egyptian tomb. She had followed Yugi and Bakura up the slimy ladder, and now she watched, holding her breath, as Yugi (Yami?) pushed himself up, and turned to gaze into the Queen's frosty eyes. 

_She's not the same_, Téa felt her heart sink, _she's not Cora anymore..._

But as the winter eyes met Yami's, a softness touched the glasslike face; a softness and tenderness that transformed it into something almost angelic... 

...Téa held her breath, not daring to breathe as the slender figure on the edge of the roof stood to face the Queen fully... 

...and even though she knew the figure that stood there as that of Yugi Moto, she also knew that somehow, Yugi wasn't standing there now - that Yami stood alone, and that Yugi had, somehow... turned away - allowing them this... 

Yami took one step forward, and stopped, his eyes never leaving the one who had once shared his heart... 

"Cora," Yami said in an almost reverent whisper, "my heart..." 

Cora's wind-chime voice answered lowly, and was wet with the tears she could no longer cry. 

"I will always be your heart, Yami," she said, "just as you will always be mine." 

Suspended, timeless - Yami and Cora's eyes touched across worlds... 

...and Cora vanished. 

Téa stood, breathless, in the silence that had become church-like in reverence. In the pale city-glow of the distant lights of Domino City, she could see the gleam of tears on the otherwise expressionless face of Yami. With an unfathomable hollowness inside, she quietly stepped to his side 

"She... she said she won't leave," Téa began haltingly, feeling horribly inadequate. "She said she would continue to rule the Game..." 

"Huh?" 

Téa started. The word was decidedly un-Yami. She quickly turned and looked hard into the wide, violet eyes. 

They were _definitely_ not Yami! 

"Yugi!" she almost shouted, her face dawning into an ecstatic smile. Then the whole night's events crowded in on her and, in a violent overload of emotion, she threw her arms around Yugi's neck in a furious embrace... 

...which she withdrew from almost immediately, blushing an amazing shade of magenta. 

"I... I'm sorry, Yugi..." she stammered. "It's just... it..." 

"It's okay," Yugi interjected softly. Téa blinked, staring. Yugi's face constructed a delicate, half-smile. 

"It's okay," he repeated, reaching out a hand and taking Téa's shoulder. 

And this time, Yugi was alone as he folded Téa close in another (much gentler) embrace... 

...which Téa returned. Wholeheartedly. 

  
* * * 


	18. Chapter 18 Afterwards

_Here - at long last - is the final chapter of Shadow Reign... _

...and with this I feel that I must leave Yugi and his friends to the other very talented authors on this site. It was a lot of fun writing these stories. They were an invaluable learning experience for me. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to read them, and especially those who took extra time to place a review. A great big thank-you goes to ButterflyGuitar, who returned to read & review this sequel, and a very special thank-you goes to YamiMommy, for her steadfast loyalty and consistent support - you guys rock! You own! Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!!!!!!!!!! :) :)

And so, we finish it... 

Chapter 18 - Afterwards 

"Will these dreams still follow me  
Out of dark obscurity..."  
--Ministry, _Burning Inside_

  
"Geez, we're away one weekend an' we miss everythin'!" Joey exclaimed enviously after hearing Yugi and Téa's update on the events of the weekend. Joey and Tristan were standing with Yugi and Téa, who were sitting on a sidewalk bench just outside the gaming shop that Yugi's Grandpa ran. The warm, Sunday afternoon sun had begun its lazy descent into the western sky, lengthening the shadows of the buildings so that they stretched halfway across the road. Joey and Tristan had just arrived on Tristan's motorcycle, full of news about their weekend with Serenity, which had been promptly stunted by the recount of Yugi and Téa's weekend. They had listened, open-mouthed, as they described Bakura's dark influence, and Cora's transformation, not to mention the explicit details of Yugi/Yami's magic, offered by a very excited and proud Téa. ("And he didn't even burn his hands this time!") At the end of it all, Joey had been the first to speak after a dumbfounded silence, and the exclamation seemed to shake Tristan's tongue into action. 

"I still can't believe you two actually broke into the old headframe," Tristan smiled impishly, shaking his head. "I didn't think you had it in you, dude." 

Yugi grimaced. "Well, I had it in me and I left it there," he stated. "What a dump." 

"'Dump' is the understatement of the Century," Téa threw in, making a face. 

"Why is this Samekh guy always after Cora, anyway?" Tristan asked, puzzled. 

"You mean, besides the fact that he hates Yami? I'm not sure," Yugi thought for a moment, his face serious. "I think it has to do with her power over the Shadow Games. It's her force that keeps the power of the Game in favour of the good, just like the Millennium Items gave the evil an unfair advantage back in Ancient Egypt. By binding himself to one of the items, Yami kind of took over part of their empire, I guess, but the other items have to be controlled by the right people, or..." 

"I don't know. This is gettin' a little weird for me," Joey cut in, running a hand through his shaggy, brownish-blonde hair. "I'm kinda glad Serenity ain't involved in any of this stuff right now..." 

"Oh, yeah," Yugi said, remembering, "how is Serenity doing, anyway?" 

"Great," Joey said, happy at finally being able to share a little bit about his weekend. "She still has to wear those eye shields, but that'll only be for about another month. An' she says that even through the shields she can see better already!" 

"I think her eyes are pretty, even behind those shields," Tristan tossed in with a broad smile. 

"Watch it, pal," Joey threatened darkly, "that's my sister you're talkin' about!" 

"That's right," Tristan agreed in an over-pleasant voice, "and that puts _you_ out of the running." 

Joey responded with all of the tact of an angry tomcat. 

"Keep talkin' like that an' _I'll_ put _you_ out of the running!" he bristled. 

"At least Samekh has lost his advantage over Cora and Yami," Yugi said quickly, changing the subject back to his and Téa's weekend, which at the moment seemed a far less volatile subject. "Without her mortal body, he won't be able to use the Soul Suckers against her." 

"Yeah, but now he'll focus all of his power on gaining all of the Millennium Items," Téa returned worriedly. "He'll want them all to gain back his advantage..." 

"Téa, it won't be anything that he hasn't tried before," Yugi reassured. "I think Yami and I can handle him..." 

"But Yami is _in_ a Millennium Item, Yugi..." Téa persisted. 

"Besides," Yugi interrupted firmly, "I trust Bakura's strength. I think he'll win over Samekh..." 

"Bakura was gone by the time we got to the bottom of the headframe," Téa reminded him. "And so was the Millennium Eye. You know that ring of his points him to other Millennium items, so he probably found it, and took off with it again. And we couldn't even check with him, because the neighbours said that he left with his mom and dad for the coast this morning..." 

Yugi reached out and took her hand, a silencing look in the violet eyes. 

"You know," he said affectionately, "you worry too much." 

Téa shook her head, a you-are-impossible look in her bright blue eyes. "And you," she replied, just as affectionately, "don't worry enough." 

"Well, I say we stop all this worryin' and head to the Burger Palace," Joey piped up. "It's time for my afternoon snack!" 

Tristan rolled his eyes. "Is that after your post-lunch snack and before your pre-supper snack?" 

"Somewhere around there," Joey smirked, then added with a feral sort of hunger in his voice, "you know, I could go for one of their Extreme Fries with gravy!" 

"Why don't you just put some cheese all over that and go for 100 percent cholesterol?" Téa replied sardonically. 

"You know," Joey said thoughtfully, "that sounds kinda good..." 

"Sometimes you scare me, pal," Tristan commented. 

They had all risen by now and were meandering down the sidewalk, but Téa hung back, glancing meaningfully at Yugi. Catching the look, Yugi frowned curiously and dropped back to fall into step beside her. 

"What's up?" he asked. 

"Yugi, I picked this up before we left the headframe," Téa said quickly, looking a little uncomfortable as she reached out a small fist. "It was Yami's once. I-I think you should have it..." 

Téa opened her fist to reveal a shining, silver C-shaped object: Yami's Magician's Ring. 

Yugi stared at it for a moment, his face unreadable. Slowly, he reached up and took it, letting it rest for a moment on the centre of his palm. It was smooth, except for the jagged edge where it had been cut, and it was still warm from being held in Téa's fist. It glinted brightly in the sun for a moment, before his fingers closed over it. 

"Thanks," he said softly. 

  
* * *   


The plaintive cry of seagulls mingled with the ecstatic squeals of three small children playing and splashing with reckless abandon in the gentle surf. Unnoticed by them about one hundred feet away, a dark pair of eyes watched the tireless play, occasionally drifting down to the surf that washed sand over the bare feet that were slowly sinking into the beach. Motionless, except for the occasional shift of eyes, the figure that owned both those eyes and feet was squatting down in a baggy pair of clamdiggers, bare-chested, except for a bright, golden ring on a short chain, which caught the blood-red rays of the setting sun, refracting them all around him in a neon spatter. 

One of the children attempted a dive into the water, screaming and laughing, while his two companions splashed him incessantly with water. There was more screaming, more laughing. Screaming. And laughing. 

The dark eyes narrowed as they watched the children playing in the water with a disturbing intensity, as one hand began to slowly caress the smooth, gold ring that hung around his neck... 

"Bakura! Come on! It's supper time!" 

The dark eyes never moved, nor did the cold expression on the pale face flinch. Slowly, he drew a hand across his face to pull a strand of creamy blonde hair back into the windblown mass on top of his head. 

"Coming," the boy whispered in a chilling, hoarse voice, "_mother._" 

  
* * * 


End file.
